How to Install a Ceiling Fan

Installing a ceiling fan may look complicated but it really is not. This is a basic guideline for installing one in your home but be sure to read the instructions that come along with your new fan to ensure you see any installation steps that may be specific to your brand and model.

First you need to decide where the fan is going to be located. The center of the ceiling is almost always the best place to put it for highest efficiency.

Second you need to make sure there is enough room between blades and ceiling as well as ceiling and floor, prior to installation. Seven feet is the minimum a ceiling fan should be placed from the floor to the bottom of where the fan will swing, and there really is no maximum. Height, when it comes to ceiling fans, is a great thing. The blades should be no less than twelve inches from the ceiling.

Now it is time to prepare for installation.

Gather your tools. You are going to need a chalk line,

Turn off the power. Turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse (turn off main switch if you are taking out a fuse). Make sure no one else is going to have access to the panel while you are working to avoid accidents. Know how many circuits go to the room you are working in and make sure they are all off. Test the power by turning on the switch and then using a high-voltage tester. Make sure your tester works by trying it on a receptacle that is turned on first.

Find the center for where your fan will be. If installing in the center of the room this is easy. Just snap chalk lines from opposite ends of the room and voil�¡, you have reached your center. Check the electrical box to make sure it is securely mounted. This is important because you are going to have a lot of weight hanging from it and you want to make sure it is not loose in any way.

Attach the mounting bracket to the electrical box making sure all screws are in straight and tight. Taking care during this step will help make sure you do not have a wobble in your fan when installation is complete.

Rest your fan on the hanging hook provided in most fan kits and connect the ground wires as instructed. This should be fairly easy to do as the wires will be color coded for installation ease. Attach a wire nut securely to cover the power wires. You can use a new one or ones that were installed with a previous fan. Make sure all connections are tight and secure and that all wires are inside of the electrical box before proceeding to the next step.

Now it is time to put the motor in. Your fan will have a mounting kit for this and it is as simple as screwing in the motor to it. Make sure screws are tight and straight. Use only the screws that come with the kit.

A cover comes with the kit to conceal the motor. Now is the time to put this on, again being sure all screws are straight and tight. The blades will go on now, one at a time into its own mounting bracket and then being mounted to the motor. Placement will be evident and is simply a matter of installing with a critical eye so as to make sure you are placing all screws in completely straight.

Turn on your power and test your fan. Make sure you have the fan switch on as well as the switch on the wall. If you need to balance your fan do so now either manually or with a balancing kit if one is included in your set. Fiddle around with it until there is absolutely no wobble. You have now installed your new ceiling fan. It is as simple as that.

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