How to Troubleshoot a Ceiling Fan
Did one of the kids launch a ball into the ceiling fan and now it's making a strange noise and doing a wobbly hula dance overhead? Or maybe it's not "making the rounds" at all. Let's look at some possible problems and fixes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Get rid of excess noise by checking for these easy-to-fix problems.
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Make sure things are tight - over time, screws or nuts and bolts can vibrate loose. Check all of these that you can find; also see if the unit is loose where it attaches to the ceiling. If there's excessive play, remove the base cover and tighten nuts, bolts and mounting screws.
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Understand that stopping squeaks, hums or grinding noises could just require a little light lubricating oil on bearings or pivoting mounting points.
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Cure the wobbles and you'll put an end to one source of noise. Check to see if the blades are hanging level - that's something you can see when the fan's in motion as well as at a standstill.
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Push the fan back into level while it's turned off. You might have to do this a couple of times to completely cure the wobble.
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Listen for any humming noise at the fan motor; this can indicate that there is power to the unit but that a seized bearing or worn brushes or windings are keeping the fan from functioning.
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Make sure you don't have a bad switch on the fan unit or on the wall. These can both be easily tested with an inexpensive circuit tester and replaced for a low cost.
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Check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers at the main electrical box of the residence.
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Plan to replace the fan if you find that it won't turn at all because of a bad motor - most fans are inexpensive enough that repair costs would outweigh the cost of replacement.
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Tips & Warnings
Some of the pricier specialized fans may be worth taking to a repair shop (or returning to the manufacturer).
As with any electrical appliance, call a professional if you have any doubts about your ability to work on even the simple things.
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Comments
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kdwomenfly
Mar 08, 2009
help with wiring ceiling light/fan with remote.. Wires are okay at wall.the remote runs between the power from ceiling and light/fan.. blue,white and black come out - the fan/light has the same color wires.. Which wire hock together... No cords for light or fan, just remote.. Ty for a quick response -
kdwomenfly
Mar 08, 2009
help with wiring ceiling light/fan with remote.. Wires are okay at wall.the remote runs between the power from ceiling and light/fan.. blue,white and black come out - the fan/light has the same color wires.. Which wire hock together... No cords for light or fan, just remote.. Ty for a quick response
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kdwomenfly
Mar 08, 2009
Need help wiring a ceiling fan with remote.. Wall switch is wired right.. No directions for wiring remote to power at ceiling, the remote hocks right to power and the 3 wires going out are blue, black and white.. The same for the fan/light.. What wires hock together
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kdwomenfly
Mar 08, 2009
Need help wiring a ceiling fan with remote.. Wall switch is wired right.. No directions for wiring remote to power at ceiling, the remote hocks right to power and the 3 wires going out are blue, black and white.. The same for the fan/light.. What wires hock together
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pattyboy20
Aug 19, 2008
Dyan, All you need to do is FIRST POWER OFF THE FAN AT THE CURCUIT BREAKER... Check it twice TO ENSURE there is NO POWER! Unscrew the base (where the light switch is set in) and take out the switch that is not working. Take off the wire nuts or snip the wires (one at a time) however the switch is connected Usually there is a way to unplug the switch (make sure there is no other way before you cut anything!!!. Every hardware store sells replacement switches (they are good people to ask, to get the right switch) then put the new one in the same way the old one came out!
