Home Improvement Articles and Remodeling Ideas

Installing a Ceiling Fan

Do you have plans to install a new ceiling fan? Use these tips and simple steps and you'll be enjoying that cool breeze in no time.

By Writer: Christina E. from Raleigh, NC on January 28, 2006
Category: Ceiling Fans

Do you have plans to install a new ceiling fan? Use these tips and simple steps and you'll be enjoying that cool breeze in no time.

As decorative as it is functional, a ceiling fan is a bonus to any home. A ceiling fan circulates cool air on hot summer days and offers a steady breeze on humid summer nights. It can even circulate warmer air in the winter when used at a low speed! Ceiling fans come in a wide variety of colors, sizes and shapes. Some even come with light fixtures attached, which means the ceiling fan is the perfect dual-purpose package.

And if you think installing a ceiling fan will be a cumbersome project, you would be surprised to learn that it isn't. In fact, if you are installing a new ceiling fan where one was previously installed or a light fixture existed, chances are your installation project will be a rather easy one. Your biggest challenge will be replacing the ceiling junction box so that it supports the weight of your new ceiling fan. If you don't replace your junction box and it does not support the weight of your new ceiling fan this can lead to a wobbly fan or something far worse.

Size of Ceiling Fan

The size of your ceiling fan should be 36 inches in diameter if your room is 12 feet or under. Use a 42-inch ceiling fan for rooms with ceiling heights 12 to 15 feet, and a 52-inch ceiling fan for a room more than 15 feet. If you have a very large or long room use two smaller ceiling fans to get the best circulation.

Additionally, there should be at least 12 inches between the ceiling and the tops of the fan blades for good quality airflow. Having 18 inches is even better if the space will accommodate for it. The ceiling fan should hang seven feet above the floor. Your ceiling fan kit should come with a down rod that allows for this clearance.

Installing Your Ceiling Fan

Here are some general steps to follow when replacing an existing ceiling fixture. The steps are designed to give you a sense of what a project like this entails; maybe even make factory directions a bit clearer. Follow the directions that came with your specific ceiling fan. Your installation process may require you to purchase certain parts such as a longer down rod needed for higher ceilings.

Materials and Tools:
Ceiling fan kit
Wire nuts/connectors
2'x4' pieces
Expandable cross brace
Outlet box
Stepladder
Mounting strap
Wire cutters
Circuit tester
Long-nose pliers
Phillips screwdriver
Flathead screwdriver
Adjustable wrench
Screw Gun

Steps to Installing Your New Ceiling Fan

Step 1. Turn Off Power

Before you do anything else, turn off the power to the circuit on which you intend to work. It is not enough to just flip down the light switch. The possibility that someone will come into the room and flip up the switch as a matter of habit is pretty high. You don't want to be in the middle of connecting wires and have this happen. So, make sure to throw the circuit breaker before you begin installation.

Step 2. Remove The Old Ceiling Fan

When you are sure that no power is flowing to your circuit (use a circuit tester to be sure; inexpensive circuit testers are available in home improvement stores), you can disconnect and remove the old ceiling fan from the junction box. It is best that you have someone helping you, as you will need someone to support the weight of the old ceiling fan as you disconnect the lead wires from the junction box. When you remove the existing ceiling fan, you should find the junction box behind it.

REMEMEBER: Before removing the old ceiling fan, remember to note how it was connected to the ceiling in the first place. You can take a picture with a digital camera or Polaroid, or even sketch what it looks like and how it is wired in order to be able to recreate the process later when you install the new fan. You should also mark the wires with tape and a pencil for reference. This will be a great help to you later on when you begin Step Four.

Step 3. Replace the Junction Box

You will need to replace the junction box to ensure that it is strong enough to handle the weight of the new ceiling fan. However, if you are switching out an old ceiling fan for a newer one and the junction box that remains is a metal one, your existing junction box will probably be just fine to be used again. If it is a plastic junction box, you'll need to replace it with a stronger metal one.

Go up into your attic and check to see that your existing metal junction box is braced with an expandable metal cross brace that stretches between two joists. If there is no expandable metal brace, install one by attaching it securely to the top of the junction box and stretching it across the two flanking joists. Or, use your 2x4's to brace the junction box between the ceiling joists.

If you don not have access to the box from your attic, you can cut a small hole into your ceiling and fit an expandable brace through it. Then, install the brace by attaching it to the box as mentioned.

Step 4. Hanging the Fan

Once you have determined that your junction box will do, you can proceed with the installation by sliding the ceiling fan's hanger pipe onto the mounting strap coming down from the junction box. Slip the hanger pipe into the hole on top of the ceiling fan's motor. Pull the wires up through the center of the pipe and out. Fasten the set screw onto the pipe to ensure that it all stays in place. Fan assembly varies from brand to brand. Be sure to follow the specific instructions that accompany the ceiling fan you've purchased.

Additionally, if there is no mounting strap for whatever reason, you will have to install one. You can either use the one that came with your new ceiling fan, or if one was not included you can buy a new one from your local home improvement store. Use the pre-established screw holes in the junction box to secure the mounting strap into place.

Step 5. Wire the New Ceiling Fan

Remember to wire in the new ceiling fan in the same way the old fan was wired. Wiring in the new ceiling fan can be as easy as connecting white wires with white ones and black wires with black ones. Typically, the black wire is hot and the white is neutral.

After you have followed the specific instructions that came along with the ceiling fan for attaching the fan canopy, connect your wires by 'tying in' to the home wiring using wire nuts (plastic connectors). This is done by splicing the black hot wire from the ceiling junction box with your wire nuts, and then connecting the spliced wire to the black wire that is attached to the new ceiling fan. You'll do the same for the white wires. Then, connect the ground wire that is descending from the ceiling box, which is likely to be a bare copper wire or a green wire. Use the manufacturer's instruction for the new ceiling fan to complete the rest of the installation.

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