Quiet house fan for orchids

[Mercurianmad]

Hi guys. My loud desk fan for the orchids is no longer blowing much air, even though the blades are spinning. Husband says we need a new fan and it must be quiet.

Recommendations?

I was looking at one of those sleek Dyson fans. Does anyone have any experience with them? Do they produce much air movement?

I do like a little breeze on the orchids to keep the fungus gnats away after I water them. Fungus gnats are obsessed with my peace lilys.

Thanks!

[Roberta]

I can't help with the Dyson fans, haven't used them, but I'm growing in a greenhouse so different situation. I got great performance from Vornado fans, but in the greenhouse, no fan lasts more than a couple of years, and so now I use the Home Depot "imitation" ... seems to work as well, for about 1/3 the price... may not last quite as long but a lot cheaper to replace.(I use these rather than fans designed for the greenhouse, because of space... my greenhouse is small and so I have to use fans that are compact)

Inside the house, you'll probably get much better longevity, so worth considering the aesthetics.

[SouthPark]

I haven't got experience with the dyson fans. But have certainly stood in front of some to test them out. They do work, and they're quiet for sure.

Relatively expensive though hahahaha.

I know that dyson markets their fans as being blade-less. It is true to a certain extent. But, as we know - their spinning fan (with the blades) are inside the unit - somewhere. Sort of like a vacuum cleaner operating in reverse --- except with much slower speed and much quieter internal fan.

[Ray]

“Relatively” expensive? Let’s say it like it is: Dyson fans are uniquely expensive.

Frankly, I think using a fan to control fungus gnats is missing several points. Fungus gnats are damaging to plants. “Blowing them away” so they won’t be a nuisance to you does nothing to control them.

Go to the hardware store, buy some Mosquito Dunks and drop one into a bucket of a couple of gallons of water. Wait a day or two and water all your plants with that water, which now contains Bacillus thuringiensis, which will kill the fungus gnat larvae. Refill the water bucket and repeat every watering for the next couple of weeks to get rid of them altogether.

Personally, I don’t see for the need of a fan for in-home growing. If you’re smart and water relatively early in the day, they’ll dry out fine, and normal household activity and ventilation systems prevent the formation of pockets of stagnant air.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Ray

“Relatively” expensive? Let’s say it like it is: Dyson fans are uniquely expensive.

Totally agree ------- dyson fans are uniquely expensive! That's why I've never bought one before, and probably never will buy one. I can understand the price being jacked up when they first came out though ---- maybe a decade or so ago.

[DeaC]

My Dyson is about 5 y/o but I solely depend upon a ceiling fan for plants. Variable speeds and imo quieter than Dyson. Gnats are pretty much no problem.

[DrDawn]

I've got these on order: Amazon Computer Fans

Husband said that we needed quieter fans since all my orchids are in the dining room (that room has the best light!). I'll update when I get them but they def seem much quieter than my Vornado fan.

EDIT: These fans are great! Super quiet, work really well, good gentle air movement and nearly no sound!

[Mercurianmad]

Thanks I was thinking about the Vornado too but they are so loud! I do have a ceiling fan running all the time but our ceilings are 15’ tall so it doesn’t do much for the orchids on the windowsill. The fungus gnats don’t nest in the orchids because I let them dry out mostly before watering again, but they LOVE my peace lily plants. I will try those mosquito dunks like you suggested.

[Mountaineer370]

I've had one of these Rowenta Turbo fans on my nightstand for years. One of my main requirements was that it have an extra-low speed and be very quiet. It's not totally silent, of course, bit it's much quieter than my Vornado fans. The extra-low speed is all I usually need, and that, of course, is the quietest speed, with the fan getting progressively louder as you go up to the highest speed (which you would never need for your plants). Be aware that the fan itself is not small. If you're interested in it, be sure to check the dimensions to see if it will fit in the space you will place it.

https://www.amazon.com/Rowenta-Extre...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[Varamand]

I agree with your husband. If you buy a new fan, then it must be as quiet as possible. I do not know about you, but I am very annoyed by such noises. Since I work remotely from home, I cannot concentrate on my work due to such noises. Maybe he has the same problem. I've also used fans in the past as I had problems with windows. Due to faulty siding, I could not open the windows. A friend of mine advised me to contact maxima-aluminum.com to fix this problem and he was absolutely right. After I repaired the siding, I was able to open the windows and turn off the fan. I hope you find a worthy replacement for your old fan. Good luck!