Fan Club – Repair a Noisy, Shaky Fan
I get so many e-mails asking about how to fix a wobbly fan that sometimes I think the entire country is shaking! It’s not surprising, though, because ceiling fans are such a great, low-energy way to cool your home. A lot of people have them. Luckily you can fix the problem easily in a few simple steps.
If you think that the fan problem is a loose screw near the electrical box (located in the ceiling right above the fan’s motor), make sure to turn off the electricity at the service panel before proceeding.
WHAT YOU NEED: Phillips head screwdriver, tape measure and pliers.
HOW TO GET IT DONE:
- Check the fan blades to see if they are loose. If your fan is installed from the ceiling by a rod that extends down from the electrical box to the motor, check the connection between the rod and the motor and tighten any and all loose screws with a screwdriver or pair of pliers.
- If the ceiling motor is attached directly to the ceiling, examine the ceiling mounting and tighten any and all loose screws.
- Measure the distance of the blades from the ceiling. It is important that all the blades reside on the same plane. Hold one end of the measuring tape at the ceiling while rotating the blades manually to check the distance.
- If a blade is not level or an equal distance to the other blades, you must gently bend the blade that is out of place. It is easier to do this step with an extra pair of hands. One person should hold the fan while the other person bends the blade.
Now you can enjoy the cool air circulating from the ceiling fan you repaired yourself, Barbara’s Way!