How to Install Ceiling Fan

How to Install Ceiling Fan

With the dog days of summer upon us, finding ways to stay cool without driving up your electricity bill can be tough. Rather than focusing on “efficient” air conditioning units or expensive air flow technologies, why not take a lesson from your ancestors and install a new ceiling fan? Don’t panic, installing ceiling fans is easy – you won’t have to hire an overpriced electrician; all you need is a little common sense, a few simple tools, about an hour of free time and you would be able to install ceiling fan yourself.

Install Ceiling Fan Yourself

Stuff Required:

• Phillips and Flat Screwdrivers
• Ceiling Fan with original nuts, bolts, and screws
• Instruction manual
• Wiring caps
• Step ladder

Instructions:

Once you’ve gathered the necessary tools, it’s strongly suggested that you find an assistant. If no one in your family is willing to lend a helping hand, ask a friend if he or she has an hour to spare.

A note on selecting a ceiling fan: Be sure to buy a size that looks appropriate for the room you’re installing it in. The trick to creating a welcoming space in your home is finding a balance between proportion and functionality.

WARNING:

Be sure to disconnect the power to the circuit you’re working on before beginning. To be safe, shut the power off to the entire house. You’ll find the main breaker or fuse in the basement or utility room, depending on your home’s layout.

Set up:

Remove the ceiling fan from its original packaging and place all the components on a clean, flat surface. Using the instruction manual as a guide, assemble the ceiling fan. If you’re replacing a ceiling fan, remove the old unit and disconnect the wires. If you’re replacing a light fixture, make sure that you are mounting the fan onto a beam and that the wiring is the correct gauge. The requirements for installation will be in the instruction manual.

Installation:

Following the wiring schematic in the instruction manual, connect the wires in the unit to the house wiring. Use the wiring caps to secure the new connections and screw the ceiling fan unit into the ceiling, as per the instruction manual.

How to install Ceiling Fan

Finishing up:

Put away all tools and restore power to the house. Be sure that the switch to the fan is turned to the off position before restoring power.

Now that you’ve installed your very first ceiling fan, flip the switch and enjoy the breeze. By installing the ceiling fan yourself, you saved at least $60 in electrician fees!