Minimum ceiling height for ceiling fan?

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KVA

Senior Member
Location
United States
Is 7'6" too low for a ceiling fan with light kit? I'm not concerned about the blades more with the light. It's a 100+ year old home that doesn't have any ceiling lights so i mentioned a ceiling fan with light kit to the customer.
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
KVA said:
Is 7'6" too low for a ceiling fan with light kit? I'm not concerned about the blades more with the light. It's a 100+ year old home that doesn't have any ceiling lights so i mentioned a ceiling fan with light kit to the customer.
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The only thing that i could find was in 680.22(B) so i think you will be Okay.:thumbsup:

(B) Luminaires, Lighting Outlets, and Ceiling-Suspended
(Paddle) Fans.
(1) New Outdoor Installation Clearances. In outdoor
pool areas, luminaires, lighting outlets, and ceilingsuspended
(paddle) fans installed above the pool or the
area extending 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside
walls of the pool shall be installed at a height not less than
3.7 m (12 ft) above the maximum water level of the pool.
(2) Indoor Clearances. For installations in indoor pool areas,
the clearances shall be the same as for outdoor areas unless
modified as provided in this paragraph. If the branch circuit
supplying the equipment is protected by a ground-fault circuit
interrupter, the following equipment shall be permitted at a
height not less than 2.3 m (7 ft 6 in.) above the maximum pool
water level:
(1) Totally enclosed luminaires
(2) Ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans identified for use beneath
ceiling structures such as provided on porches or
patios
(3) Existing Installations. Existing luminaires and lighting
outlets located less than 1.5 m (5 ft) measured horizontally
from the inside walls of a pool shall be not less than
1.5 m (5 ft) above the surface of the maximum water level,
shall be rigidly attached to the existing structure, and shall
be protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter.
(4) GFCI Protection in Adjacent Areas. Luminaires, lighting
outlets, and ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans installed in
the area extending between 1.5 m (5 ft) and 3.0 m (10 ft)
horizontally from the inside walls of a pool shall be protected
by a ground-fault circuit interrupter unless installed
not less than 1.5 m (5 ft) above the maximum water level
and rigidly attached to the structure adjacent to or enclosing
the pool.
(5) Cord-and-Plug-Connected Luminaires. Cord-and-plugconnected
luminaires shall comply with the requirements of
680.7 where installed within 4.9 m (16 ft) of any point on the
water surface, measured radially.
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PetrosA

PetrosA

Senior Member
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
If it's a bedroom over a bed, also keep in mind that people aren't always... lying down in bed. A lady once asked me to hang a fan over her bed in a room with low ceilings and a really high frame and I had to delicately point out that it "would be dangerous" under some conditions. She thanked me for pointing that out. It would have been a heck of a claim to explain to an insurance company. ;)
 
S

svh19044

Senior Member
Location
Philly Suburbs
It's not NEC specific code per wording, but every fan that I have installed is listed at 7' floor to blade minimum. Follow the manufacturer, so that is what is required.
 
K

KVA

Senior Member
Location
United States
mtnelectrical said:
i don't think there is a minimun. It has to be high enough so it does not chop off anybody's head. or you don't hit the ligthts with your head. It depends more on the height of the people that lives there. But you would have to do a flush mount installation with a low profile fan. Like this http://www.ceilingfan.com/Casablanca_ceiling_fan_isotope.htm
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I am going to flush mount it but i think someone would hit their head on the light. But really is that a problem aren't people supposed to be looking where they are walking to not smack their head on the light? lol
 
C

cmreschke

Senior Member
Think about how tall 6'5" is. Not many bang their heads at that height and in a house with a ceiling that low already they would probably knock their heads on door frames before that light.
 
GUNNING

GUNNING

Senior Member
Location
Gainesville, Florida
I had a local inspector shoot a job down because the blades were below 6ft 8in.

He was right, I cant remember from where though; either the directions or code quote.

The little orientals that owned the place were not in danger of getting beheaded, but the sun in law was a candidate to get clocked. The fans were on an enclosed porch and ended up at about 6'5". Just the blades are the issue, light kits aren't dangerous cyclonic weapons.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Other than manufacturers instructions that likely say 7 feet from floor to blades there is no minimum height.

How many dining room or similar pendants hang as low as you are talking? What is below the light? If a table or similar object is below maybe nobody hits their head on it.
 
cowboyjwc

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
The building code says that you have to have a minimum ceiling height of 7'6" with some exceptions, but it does not mention light fixtures at all.

So playing the typical word games that we do here, I would say that a fixture could hang as low as you wanted since it talks about the ceiling only, unless, as someone else said, the manufactures instructions say other wise.
 
ritelec

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
KVA said:
But really is that a problem aren't people supposed to be looking where they are walking to not smack their head on the light? lol
Click to expand...

I'm 6'4"........................always hit my brother in laws light kit.

Not sure where I saw it...............but 7' to blades rings a bell.
 
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