Helpful Tips For Installing Your New Ceiling Fan
In order to cut costs, a lot of homeowners are choosing to install ceiling fans in their homes without calling in an expensive electrician.
The real advantage to having ceiling fans is to increase the circulation of air in your home and increase the comfort level for the home's occupants.
Ceiling fans are also very practical during the winter months, because warmer air rises towards the ceiling, and a fan will help push the heat down to where you're living.
When ceiling fans first came onto the market in the 1980s, there were only a few models to choose from.
Today, though, you'll find many different models in a broad range of styles and finishes.
Some of these kits include attached lighting.
In order to install your fan, start by taking down the existing light fixture.
If you don't have an overhead fixture in a room, you'll need to have an electrician run the appropriate wiring.
Before you take down the light fixture or try to make any connections, you need to throw the breakers for the circuit that the light fixture runs on.
After all, getting yourself a jolt of electricity won't be any fun.
Once the breakers are shut off, it will be safe to go ahead and remove the light fixture and disconnect its wires.
When you take the light fixture down, check on the junction box to make sure it is firmly attached to the ceiling joists so that it will adequately support the weight of the fan.
Following this, you will attach the mounting bracket to the ceiling and install the housing of the fan.
If you check the stability of the junction box and discover that the fan could use a little more support, you will need to access the box from above if at all possible.
For example, if you can find the box by going through the attic, you can put a 2x4 brace between the joists and on top of the box in order to keep it in place.
Screw the brace into place, and then go back downstairs and screw the box to the 2x4.
If you can't easily access the box like this, you can add a metal brace by running it through the opening in the ceiling and then attaching the box to it.
You need to be aware that if you're replacing a light fixture with a fan that also has a light fixture attached, you won't be able to operate both features using the wall switch you used in turning on and off the original light.
What usually happens is that you will use the switch to operate the fan while using pull chains to control the light and the fan speeds.
Most likely, when you take down your original light fixture, you'll find that the wiring you'll be using is supplied by only one circuit.
This means that you'll be able to turn the fan on and off through the wall switch, but you'll need to use the pull chain in order to control the speed.
Adding a light will mean adding another pull chain to operate it.
Each ceiling fan comes with factory-designed assembly instructions that will help you proceed step by step through the installation process.
After you've installed the mounting bracket, you'll need to install a hanging frame if one was included in the kit.
This frame allows you to suspend a down rod.
If you don't have one, continue to install the fan using the method outlined in the directions.
Another item that may be included in your kit is a "J" hook which conveniently gives you a place to hang the motor housing while attaching the wiring.
There will be a wiring diagram included with the kit that shows you how to hook up the wires and which wiring nuts you need to use.
If you're lucky it may be as simple as hooking two black wires together, two white wires, and two ground wires.
After making sure your connections are secure, you can finish installing the fan as per the instructions.
If you have a light kit to attach, you will remove the cover from the bottom of the motor housing to connect the lights.
After everything else is finished, you can add the fan blades by first screwing the mounting hardware into the blades and then attaching the blades to the housing.
Once the blades are on, you'll be able to turn the breaker back on and try the fan.
If it doesn't work, don't panic.
You probably just have a loose connection, and that's easily remedied.
If you see a slight wobble while the fan is running, it may be that your blades aren't balanced correctly.
However, once everything is running smoothly, all you'll have to do is sit back and enjoy.
The real advantage to having ceiling fans is to increase the circulation of air in your home and increase the comfort level for the home's occupants.
Ceiling fans are also very practical during the winter months, because warmer air rises towards the ceiling, and a fan will help push the heat down to where you're living.
When ceiling fans first came onto the market in the 1980s, there were only a few models to choose from.
Today, though, you'll find many different models in a broad range of styles and finishes.
Some of these kits include attached lighting.
In order to install your fan, start by taking down the existing light fixture.
If you don't have an overhead fixture in a room, you'll need to have an electrician run the appropriate wiring.
Before you take down the light fixture or try to make any connections, you need to throw the breakers for the circuit that the light fixture runs on.
After all, getting yourself a jolt of electricity won't be any fun.
Once the breakers are shut off, it will be safe to go ahead and remove the light fixture and disconnect its wires.
When you take the light fixture down, check on the junction box to make sure it is firmly attached to the ceiling joists so that it will adequately support the weight of the fan.
Following this, you will attach the mounting bracket to the ceiling and install the housing of the fan.
If you check the stability of the junction box and discover that the fan could use a little more support, you will need to access the box from above if at all possible.
For example, if you can find the box by going through the attic, you can put a 2x4 brace between the joists and on top of the box in order to keep it in place.
Screw the brace into place, and then go back downstairs and screw the box to the 2x4.
If you can't easily access the box like this, you can add a metal brace by running it through the opening in the ceiling and then attaching the box to it.
You need to be aware that if you're replacing a light fixture with a fan that also has a light fixture attached, you won't be able to operate both features using the wall switch you used in turning on and off the original light.
What usually happens is that you will use the switch to operate the fan while using pull chains to control the light and the fan speeds.
Most likely, when you take down your original light fixture, you'll find that the wiring you'll be using is supplied by only one circuit.
This means that you'll be able to turn the fan on and off through the wall switch, but you'll need to use the pull chain in order to control the speed.
Adding a light will mean adding another pull chain to operate it.
Each ceiling fan comes with factory-designed assembly instructions that will help you proceed step by step through the installation process.
After you've installed the mounting bracket, you'll need to install a hanging frame if one was included in the kit.
This frame allows you to suspend a down rod.
If you don't have one, continue to install the fan using the method outlined in the directions.
Another item that may be included in your kit is a "J" hook which conveniently gives you a place to hang the motor housing while attaching the wiring.
There will be a wiring diagram included with the kit that shows you how to hook up the wires and which wiring nuts you need to use.
If you're lucky it may be as simple as hooking two black wires together, two white wires, and two ground wires.
After making sure your connections are secure, you can finish installing the fan as per the instructions.
If you have a light kit to attach, you will remove the cover from the bottom of the motor housing to connect the lights.
After everything else is finished, you can add the fan blades by first screwing the mounting hardware into the blades and then attaching the blades to the housing.
Once the blades are on, you'll be able to turn the breaker back on and try the fan.
If it doesn't work, don't panic.
You probably just have a loose connection, and that's easily remedied.
If you see a slight wobble while the fan is running, it may be that your blades aren't balanced correctly.
However, once everything is running smoothly, all you'll have to do is sit back and enjoy.