One of the most important factors to consider when installing a ceiling fan is the length of its downrod. Ideally, your fan should be proportional to the size of your room. The fan's diameter is a consideration here, as is how low the ceiling fan hangs — a job left to the downrod. A downrod helps determine how high or low a ceiling fan is from the floor. Learn more about choosing the right downrod length before you make a purchase decision. 

What Is a Downrod? 

Downrods for fans are metallic pipes that connect the fan motor to the mounting bracket. They suspend your ceiling fan at the appropriate height and enhance its functionality by ensuring proper air circulation. 

Why Is It Important to Select the Right Size Downrod?

The primary function of a ceiling fan downrod is to ensure proper air circulation. The downrod positions the fan blades at the appropriate height — if the blades are too high, air will not circulate properly. Additionally, when fan blades are too close to the ceiling, the room may look off aesthetically. Downrods help create visual balance and selecting the right ceiling fan downrod sizes is crucial for this purpose.

There is also such a thing as a too-long downrod. Energy Star recommends leaving between 7 and 9 feet of space between the floor and the fan blades. Let the fan blades hang any lower, and you risk people bumping into them. Any higher, and you might not enjoy the air circulation benefits you're looking for. Downrods can be as few as 4 inches long or more than 70 inches long, so you have options whether you're outfitting a room with 9-foot ceilings or 16-foot ceilings.  

How to Find the Right Size Downrod

Purchasing the right downrod size is crucial for ensuring safety and optimal fan performance. Luckily, determining the correct size is simple — you can follow this formula:

• Downrod length = Ceiling height - Height of fan - Desired hanging height 

For example, say the room you're outfitting has 12-foot ceilings, the fan you're working with is 12 inches long and you want your fan to hang 8 feet off the ground. First, convert the ceiling height and desired hanging height measurements to inches:

• 12-foot ceilings: 144 inches.
• 8-foot hanging height: 96 inches.

From there, you can plug the figures into the formula:

• Downrod length = 144 inches - 12 inches - 96 inches

The result is a 36-inch downrod. 

Generally speaking, the higher the ceiling, the longer the downrod, and vice versa. If your ceilings are upwards of 16 feet, you'll likely need a 72-inch downrod — or longer. If your ceiling is 8 to 9 feet high, you might opt for a short ceiling fan downrod, one that's fewer than 12 inches long. 

For rooms with a ceiling height of under 8 feet, a downrod might not be appropriate. However, you can still keep air flowing with flush mount ceiling fans. These fans are installed flush with the ceiling, so there's no need to worry about them posing an obstacle in rooms with lower ceilings. 

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Downrod

The ideal downrod length depends on the height of your ceiling, the size of the fan itself and your desired fan height. Let's take a closer look at the factors in the formula and how they apply when choosing a ceiling fan extended downrod. 

1. Ceiling Height 

The ceiling height is one of the most essential factors when determining the appropriate downrod size for the ceiling fan. As we've mentioned, the fan blades should be high enough not to pose a risk to anyone walking underneath, yet low enough to promote proper air circulation. If you're unsure of your room's ceiling height, grab a tape measure! As a reminder, lower ceilings require shorter rods, while high ceilings require longer rods.

2. Ceiling Fan Height

Check the height of the ceiling fan before purchasing. The ceiling fan's height is calculated as the distance between the top of the fan canopy and the lowest part of the fan blades. Most are somewhere around 12 inches long. If you disregard the ceiling fan height and simply subtract the ceiling height from the desired hanging height, you'll end up with a downrod that's too long for your room. 

3. Desired Hanging Height

Finally, consider how high you want your fan to hang. Ideally, your fan blades will be suspended 8-9 feet from the ground, but it's acceptable for the blades to hang 7 feet off the ground. 

Other Factors to Consider When Selecting a Ceiling Fan With a Downrod

Aside from the main three factors in the formula, these factors may impact your downrod decision: 

• Angled or vaulted ceilings: If your ceilings are angled or vaulted, the above formula may be less effective. Instead, you'll have to consider the ceiling's slope.
• Aesthetics: Downrods come in several styles and colors, from aged brass and brushed nickel to matte black and soft pink. After determining the ideal length, you can find one that suits your style and complements your room. 
• Fan compatibility: Purchase a downrod from the same manufacturer as your fan. While most manufacturers create universal ceiling fan downrods that are compatible with their fans, you'll want to double-check the fan's manufacturer's guidelines just in case. 
• Downrod diameter: Downrods come in different diameters to suit light and heavy ceiling fans. Metal downrods with a 1-inch diameter are typically strong enough for most ceiling fans. 

The Ideal Downrod Lengths for Different Rooms

Using the formula listed above, here are the recommended downrod lengths for different ceiling heights. We're basing the calculations on fans with a 12-inch height.

If you have ceilings higher than 14 feet, you can likely rely on a 72-inch downrod. Keep in mind that for the columns listed "N/A," you might be able to use a 4- or 6-inch downrod, or you can consider a flush mount ceiling fan. 

Shop Downrods From Arranmore Lighting and Fans®

Selecting the right downrod size ensures your room will receive efficient air circulation and contributes to a room's aesthetics. When you're looking to revamp a room with a new ceiling fan, turn to Arranmore. We are a family-owned and operated direct-to-consumer lighting and ceiling fan company with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Whether you're looking for stylish ceiling fans, modern light fixtures or effective downrods, you can find what you need at Arranmore.