Big Ass Fans hold a prominent position in the Australian and global markets. They are a well-known and popular airflow product. However, they have some serious drawbacks and limitations that are important to consider before purchasing.
1. Installing a Big Ass Fan is Expensive
Purchasing a single fan can cost you between $795 (1.3m Haiku L Ceiling Fan) to $3,495 (i6 in Brushed Aluminium). This doesn’t include installation costs, which will depend on the difficulty of the job. Ceiling height, roof obstructions, and steepness can all have an impact on this. Additionally, it’s likely you will need more than one fan, especially if you are a commercial property.
2. Big Ass Fans are Expensive to Operate
As well as being expensive to buy and install, Big Ass Fans use powered motors that require a lot of energy to operate.
Solar Whiz uses solar power, which is a free and renewable energy source. If you choose to operate your Solar Whiz system only on solar energy, you would have ZERO operational costs.
Solar Whiz also offers a hybrid solar powered and mainspower backup, which allows you to operate the system on solar power most of the time. When there isn’t enough sunlight to operate the system at full capacity, the unit will draw only as much energy as it needs to ‘top up’ the system.
Furthermore, our mains power systems are so energy efficient that even if you used mains power it would cost you $0.0088 per hour. You can read our calculations for the cost of operations here.
3. Big Ass Fans are Ineffective for Cooling Indoor Spaces
This diagram illustrates how big ass fans move air through a building, without actually cooling it.
Big Ass Fans move vast quantities of air. However, the fans only work to push the indoor air around the inside of the building. They don’t extract hot air or draw in cooler fresher outdoor air.
Because Big Ass Fans only circulate the existing indoor air, they don’t actually have an impact on the temperature. They can be helpful in more evenly distributing cool air from air conditioners in summer or hot air from heaters in winter, but there is no real change in temperature.
In order to have a meaningful impact on the indoor environment you need to extract inside air and replace it with cooler air, and this is exactly what Solar Whiz offers. Our units can extract up to 10,000cbm of air per hour, which works to flush out hot and polluted air with fresh outside air. This will ultimately reduce the inside temperature and improve the air quality. It also has the added benefit of reducing the heat load on the building, helping your air conditioning systems to work better.
4. Big Ass Fans do not Improve Ventilation
Because Big Ass Fan only generate wind power that moves the inside air around, you are never replacing the hot and polluted air. Air circulation is increased, but the air quality is never improved.
An indoor area can only be ventilated if there is replacement air being drawn in and the existing air is being drawn out. This exchange of air is the goal of ventilation. It helps to improve indoor air quality by removing pollution in the air, as well as decreasing the temperature and heat load on the building.
5. Big Ass Fans Need Regular Maintenance
Big Ass Fans recommends that the airfoils/fan blades are cleaned regularly to limit the amount of dust that builds up. They also suggest regularly checking the safety cable, hardware and wiring to make sure your fan keeps operating properly. The company also offers a yearly maintenance program to help keep the system running.
On the other hand, Solar Whiz is a set-and-forget system. You don’t have to clean it or manually turn it on or off. We offer additional accessories like thermostats and night operations kits that give you extra control and provide the option for you to turn it on/off yourself. However, the base unit will turn on by itself when there is enough sunlight on the solar panel to power the fan. Using the thermostat will ensure that the fan turns on when the temperature reaches a certain level, and then turn off when the temperature drops below the set temperature.
Conclusion
While Big Ass Fans are incredibly powerful movers of air, they do not deliver ventilation results to keep you cool and improve air quality. If you are looking for a system that will make a meaningful difference to the indoor environment of your house or workspace, you need a solution like Solar Whiz. Our units are Australian-made, designed for the Australian climate and use renewable energy, what’s not to love?
Frequently Asked Questions
How effective are Industrial Fans?
When only moving air is needed, industrial fans can be useful. Industrial fans, however, are ineffective for cooling a workspace.
Do bigger ceiling fans cool a room?
A ceiling fan does not actually lower the overall temperature in a room, but it can definitely make a space feel cooler. The wind chill effect is how ceiling fans typically function. Basically, the air movement across your skin promotes faster perspiration evaporation.
Why does a fan not cool a room?
Fans do not actually cool the air in the room; they only cool your skin. However, if your house has hot or cool spots, a fan may occasionally be able to help distribute the cooler air your air conditioner produces into some of the hotter parts of your house.
How do I choose an industrial fan?
The air volume flow rate and fan type are the two most important factors to consider when selecting the best industrial exhaust fan. Along with the model and flow rate, you should consider the fan’s sound output and airflow resistance (such as static pressure, or SP).
What does Hvls stand for?
HVLS, which stands for “High-Volume, Low Speed,” refers to the fact that these massive fans move a lot of air while rotating at a slow speed. Any mechanical fan with a diameter greater than seven feet is considered an HVLS fan.
