What to Look For When Buying a Misting Fan

Outdoor misting fans are the best way to stay cool in warm or hot weather. They are the best and least expensive alternative to jumping into the swimming pool. If you enjoy hosting and you have an accommodating outdoor area then there is no comparative alternative to a misting fan. They’re economical to run; efficient to use and can reduce the air temperature by a few degrees which is often the difference between comfort and discomfort.

Misting fans circulate the air in the same was as a conventional fan; the difference being that a misting fan circulates a vapor mist. You can buy wall mounted misting fans in Australia in a few different configurations: some have a rotating or oscillating head on a stand; some are well mounted and others are ceiling mounted. The same applies to portable misting fans although with the portable versions it is important to ensure that you buy a fan head and base in sensible proportions to avoid tipping. Among the beat on the market are the tornado in the wall mounted version and the tornado in the portable version. 

If you are looking to cool a much larger area like a warehouse, commercial garden, beer garden or outdoor dining area then commercial misting fans are also available.  

Misting fans typically emit mist through a nozzle with flexible water tubing attached to it. Misting fans that are wall or ceiling mounted can be connected to a hose. Portable misting fans can be connected to a hose if it’s accessible. If not they have a reservoir or tank attached and water can be drawn from there. The water leaves the nozzles and is dispersed by the action of the fan. It’s important that you make sure that the nozzles don’t clog up. The action of water rushing to be dispensed can cause a buildup of sediment or dislodge something somewhere else in the system and it might settle in the nozzle area. A good maintenance tip for nozzles that might clog is to clean with vinegar. 

To avoid clogging you could purchase a centrifugal system. Disc plates are attached to the fan’s centre and collect water that runs down into a water tank. To get the necessary pressure a centrifugal system uses a pump to get the water back to the fan. They are more costly that other misting fans and more commonly used on commercial systems. 

Centrifugal systems use a pump for efficiency. If you are buying a pump and you have a reasonably large area to cool, make sure it is powerful enough to move the blades efficiently. Ideally it will have some speed variations and some energy saving capabilities. The mist should have sufficiently high-pressure water output through the centrally-located fan head plate. 

Construction of misting fans can be an issue. Ensure that you buy a fan head and base in sensible proportions to avoid tipping. Most are lightweight and made from plastic or metal and are less likely to tolerate weather and other hazards that lead to corrosion. Commercial systems use heavy gauge metal but they are significantly heavier and quite expensive.

As for noise, cheaper systems can be noisy and defeat the benefits you get from being in a cool environment.  We could discuss revolutions per minute (RPMs) and how they impact the level of noise but our Climate Australia consultant would be able to advise you on a suitable system for purpose. 

Mist and airflow is measured by how much mist and airflow your fan can output over a 60 second period. This has an impact on how much noise your misting system will make. It’s not sensible or necessary to get too carried away with your systems CFM. You should purchase enough power for the job it needs to do.

For a high quality misting fan and advice that has you purchasing your system in the correct proportions, contact Climate Australia today.