Are Tower Fans Safe To Use In Your Home?

When it reaches summer and temperatures start to rise, you might be searching for an effective way to cool down your toddler's room and other areas of your home without having to spend a fortune on air conditioning.

That's where tower fans could be beneficial to you, these cylinder shape fans are a great way to cool the air in your toddler's space, they have a larger reach than traditional fans and are easy to function and control.

Most tower fans operate with impeller blades which are within the cylinder housing of the fan and not within reach to toddlers, making them safer too, some even come without blades and have tipped over cut off features to stop the fan from functioning if your toddler accidentally knocks it down.

So as we can understand more about the design of tower fans, how they benefit us and if they are safe to use in our home, we have composed a short guide below that should help you decide whether or not you want a tower fan to cool you and your family down this summer.

What Is a Tower Fan?

Before we can start discussing the safety and design of tower fans, we should first understand exactly what one is and how they differ from traditional fans.

Tower fans come in a long tall rectangular shape and are designed to be used stationary on the floor, with their shape being slotted easily into to corners of a room. These fans tend to come with cooling and heating function depending on the model you buy and can oscillate, allowing them to rotate the cool air around a room for better coverage.

Unlike traditional fans, these devices also tend to be very quiet and easy to control, they can also be used as a humidifier and are portable enough to be carried around the house from different rooms.

How Do They Work?

Tower fans cool the air around your home by sucking in air through the vents in the device and pushing it back out via their motorised blades, this reaches the whole room through its 90-degree stance.

It's thought often that tower fans 'cool' the air, but they don't, they simply find the coolest air already in your room and recycle it through their filters. So in a nutshell, tower fans increase the circulation in your room thus reducing the temperature.

Do Tower Fans Have Blades?

Even though some tower fans appear 'bladeless', most still have blades, but these are tiny and encased inside the fan, like in the Dyson models for example. This means the blades aren't as visible as in regular fans but still give a wind cooling effect, making them look more stylish. Without blades, you would get no vertical breeze from your fan as there would be no air circulation created from the motor.

Why Should I Use a Fan For My Toddler?

Tower fans can be beneficial to your toddler as they provide great air circulation and stop them from getting uncomfortable during the summer nights. They also don't take up a lot of space so can be neatly slotted in the corner of your toddler's room without too much disruption.

Some of the best tower fans additionally have filters and ionisers which can clear the air in your toddler's room and make it cleaner to breathe in

Are Tower Fans Safe For Toddlers?

In comparison to a normal regular fan, tower fans are very safe for toddlers as the blades are encased inside of the fan, meaning it is hard for them to poke their fingers through and cause injury. You can also set timers to ensure your fan turns off when you need it to and a thermostat to ensure your toddler's room never gets too hot or too cold.

We have listed out the advantages when it comes to using a tower fan around a toddler below and the disadvantages too.

Advantages

• The blades are not obvious - One of the main advantages to using a tower fan around children is that the blades are not obvious and attractive to a child, this lowers the chances of them sticking their fingers through the fan and won't injure them too as a traditional circle fan would.
• They can be remotely controlled - As a parent you can control the fan in your toddler's room exactly how you want it to be from a distance, making them convenient.
• Timers to turn the fan off - So as you can turn your fan off when needed during the night or day, you can set a timer for the fan to come on in your toddler's room only during specific periods.
• Safety features installed - Most of the best tower fans will have tip-over protection and overheating cut-offs in case your fan gets too hot or knocked over by your toddler.

Disadvantages

• They are on the floor - Tower fans unlike ceiling fans are within easy reach for toddlers to play about with.
• Controls can be messed with - With touch displays and interfaces, these tower fans can be changed and messed around with.
• They might not cool your room effectively - In comparison to air conditioning, you still might find a tower fan does not do enough to cool your toddler's room.

Safety Tips & Features To Look For In Your Tower Fan

From extra stability to tip over protection, your tower fan should come with some essential safety features if you are going to be using it around your toddler. You should additionally make sure you follow some safety tips and tricks to avoid any accidents happening due to your tower fan.

We have listed these all below.

• Look for overheat & tip-over protection - Both of these safety features are vital in a tower fan, especially if you will be leaving it around a child, one will stop your fan from getting too hot and the other will cut off the power if your toddler manages to knock it over.
• Only turn the fan on when supervised - If you don't want to risk leaving your fan on alone with your toddle, only turn it on when supervised or set a timer for when you know your not going to be around.
• Turn off the socket when not in use - When you are not using your tower fan, make sure to unplug it from the socket.
• Keep it out the way - Put your tower fan out the way in the corner, don't block paths or put it in places where it is likely to get knocked.
• Hide the cable - Cables can be attractive to pull for toddlers, hide your tower fans cable to reduce this temptation.
• Always switch the fan off if you smell burning - If you ever smell any burning coming from your tower fan turn it off right away as it could be a sign of it overheating.
• Make sure it's stable - Most tower fans should sit stationary on the floor, make sure yours is stable by choosing one with a large flat base design and only put it on the floor if that's where it is designed to be, never balance it on a table.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tower Fans Blades & Toddler Usage

Are tower fans quiet for my toddler? 

Yes, tower fans can be quiet depending on the model you buy and what speed setting is chosen, always use your fan at a low speed to reduce noise.

Can I use a tower fan around my baby? 

Tower fans are recommended for a nursery as they reduce SIDS rates and produce white noise which can be quite comforting for your baby.

Will the blades of a tower fan hurt my toddler? 

No, the blades inside a tower fan are enclosed, so it is very unlikely your toddler would be able to hurt themselves.

Final Words

Overall, tower fans do have blades, but these blades are just inside the device rather than external like traditional fans, these types of fans are also great to use around toddlers because of their 'bladeless' design and can improve air circulation while keeping them cool during the hot summer months!

Always ensure your tower fan is put somewhere stable and buy a model which is equipped with high-quality safety specs if you want to be more confident when it comes to leaving your fan on around your toddler.