As I walked through the open inspection I found myself alone in a secluded part of the house.

While everyone else was outside looking at the newly installed patio entertainment area I was experiencing the pleasant ambiance of a ceiling fan.

The gentle, rhythmic and barely audible swish, swish was a perfect antidote to the noise and heat outside.

Ceiling fans have been around since the late 19th century and still have an important part to play in cooling a house that’s properly insulated.

They can be the unsung heroes of our superheated summer but a surprising number of people still don’t understand how they work.

In basic terms their air flow creates a wind-chill effect that helps evaporate sweat from the skin, lowering body temperature.

People often have them scattered throughout the house, but I reckon ceiling fans work most effectively in the bedroom. There would be very few nights that a modern, efficient ceiling fan wouldn’t keep you cool and comfortable if sized correctly for the room.

The effect is much better than having the air-con cranked up. I mean, who wants to sleep in a fridge?

Fan technology has taken giant steps forward in recent times. The best brands push more air around while using minimal power and are very quiet. They also come with LED lighting options and remote controls.

Ceiling height is important. Fans need to be situated not less than 2m and not higher than 2.5m, depending on the model chosen, for the best all-round performance.

Extension rods can lower a fan to the correct height and there are low-profile models for low ceiling heights.

If you are replacing existing fans, try to go for DC, or direct-current models, as these are cheaper to run and have many more setting speeds.

So you can see that I am a big fan of fans, and the gentle ambience they can provide.