Whether you own or rent, it's likely you have a ceiling fan light fixture somewhere in your home. And as we all know, light bulbs burn out. So how do you choose the right bulb for your ceiling fan fixture?
Ceiling fans with light fixtures are ubiquitous in homes all across the country, but it can be difficult to know what type of bulb to purchase when yours burns out. Depending on the specific purpose your ceiling fan lights serve in your home, there are several different lighting solutions. Read on for help determining which kind of bulb suits your needs!
If your ceiling fan light fixture is the sole source of light for the room, you’ll want a bulb that can provide the most illumination as possible. Look for a bulb with a high lumen output (800 and above) to ensure that the bulb provides enough light for completing daily tasks in the room.
Anything less than 800, such as a standard 60-watt incandescent bulb, will simply not be bright enough for lighting an entire room. Of course, we recommend supplementing your ceiling fan lights with task lighting such as standing lamps and table lamps to assist with reading, writing, computer work, etc.
As always, we recommend an energy efficient bulb, such as LED or CFL, to reduce costs and labor included with changing dead bulbs.
If the ceiling light is only meant to add extra lighting in addition to task/general lighting you already have, a dimmable bulb is ideal! Having the ability to dim the brightness of a bulb is always a handy feature, especially when your overhead lights just feels too bright when used in conjunction with other fixtures in the room.
Another scenario is a ceiling fan light installed on very high ceilings (or a homeowner who simply doesn’t want to fuss with changing light bulbs each year). In this case, a long lasting, energy efficient bulb is ideal.
LED bulbs are the gold standard in longevity and efficiency, and though they cost more upfront, they more than pay for themselves over the course of the bulb’s life. Plus, you won’t have to get up on a ladder to change your bulb for a very, very long time! CFLs are another good option, but they don’t last quite as long as LED bulbs and the category doesn’t have as many dimmable options as LED.
You should also check what type of base your fixture takes—most ceiling fans have either a medium base, which is the standard size for incandescents and incandescent replacements, or candelabra bases. Many fans also take the E12 base, and another common ceiling fan bulb is the Viva PLS 13.50. Unfortunately, this common bulb has been discontinued, but we recommend this bulb as a suitable replacement.
