On Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:16:06 -0400, clare wrote:

On Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:07:10 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

On 8/8/2010 3:28 PM, RicodJour wrote:
On Aug 8, 4:14 pm, Steve wrote:
On 8/8/2010 12:52 PM, jimmy wrote:

I recently had a conversation with an insurance adjuster who told
me one of the causes of fires in a home are these box fans...do you
have any info regarding this??

I'd say he's full of crap. I buy box fans at auctions to use in the
chicken coop. They get the full gamut of dust and feathers and who
knows what else. I just run 'em till they quit and throw them in the
burn pile. Not one has even so much as smoked.

Even if they did catch on fire, big deal. You'd just have an
impromptu neighborhood BBQ. If it were your family you might feel a
little different, no?

R

I'm just saying in all my years and all my fans, i've never seen one
smoke or flame. And yes, i'd say my life experience is just as good as
some lying insurance adjusters.

Sadly past experience is no predictor of future performance since most
of what is being sold here NOW is made in China - and of poorer quality
than what was sold even last year. They make it cheaper and cheaper
every year because Wallmart (and others) demand a reduction in cost from
year to year in order to continue doing business. US retailers and
inspectors (as well as Canadian) are not keeping up with inspections -
so much of the product sold has no UL cerification - and what does have
a sticker on it, a large percentage are bogus.

That said, generally it is not the fan itself that is the problem - it
is the neglect of the fan. So the fan is a bit noisy, or it takes 5
minutes to come up to speed???? As long as it continues to move air, it
is kept running, whe a cleaning and a bit of lubricant most often would
make it run safely for another year or so.

We've been importing most of our housewares and minor electonics/
electricals from China for well over two decades. And you cannot
effectively lubricate permanently lubed bearings on a box fan motor.
So what can you do? Keep the air inlets free of debris. And listen to it.
For 20 bucks if it starts making unusual sounds or the performance
degrades, replace it. 20 bucks for a new fan is a good insurance policy
in itself. I have a whole house circulation fan in an attic window. It is
10 years old. When temps are lower than 85 it runs 24/7. It has the same
type motor as a box fan, just more power. I keep it clean of debris and it
chugs along ventilating the whole house. I prefer that to air
conditioning. I can draw air from the rear of the house that is
completely shaded by large maples and oaks and my lot ends into a densely
wooded area. This makes the air at least 10 degrees cooler giving me
natural air conditioning for the price in electricity of a 1/8 hp fan
motor.