Ceiling Fan Installation

Many homeowners desire ceiling fans because they are both practical and attractive. To install a ceiling fan however, causes some homeowners to shudder - imagining the process involves myriad complexities and aggravations; some homeowners may pass on the opportunity to replace a ceiling fan or to install a new one. Meanwhile, other homeowners, not wishing to endeavor upon the task themselves, will hire on a fan contractor to install a ceiling fan. There are however, some homeowners that are opting to install ceiling fans on their own by following a simple, step-by-step, do it yourself process.

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Benefits of Ceiling Fan Installation
There are a number of good reasons why many homeowners elect to have a ceiling fan installed. First off, the primary function of a ceiling fan is to offer homeowners more climate control indoors. Ceiling fans allow the homeowner to draw down hot air when the weather is cool, and circulate warm air throughout the location. In the warmer months, a ceiling fan can be used to force cooler air to circulate throughout a room. The efficient use of heat and cool air can actually help to minimize the cost of other utilities as well as help in the conserving of energy. In fact, there are ceiling fans that have Energy Star technology - offering added ways to conserve on energy.

Installing a ceiling fan can add immediate beauty to the room that it has been installed in. To replace a ceiling fan gives a room an instant pick me up. Ceiling fans are attractive, and if they offer lighting, the lighting can improve the overall atmosphere in a room and how the room feels.

Choosing the Ceiling Fan to Install
It is not a good idea to visit the local department store and to pick up just any old fan sitting on the shelf that seems attractive. Instead, ceiling fans are designed specifically for certain sized rooms. To maximize the functioning of any installed ceiling fan, it is imperative that the right sized-ceiling fan is selected. Ceiling fans run in a variety of sizes and each size ceiling fan works well in a certain sized room. The typical sizes one will find ceiling fans in are a 36-inch ceiling fan, a 42-inch ceiling fan, and a 52-inch ceiling fan. The 36 inch ceiling fans are excellent for ceiling fan additions in rooms that have 12 foot dimensions or smaller. The 42 inch ceiling fans are perfect for rooms that are sized from 12 feet to 15 feet and the largest ceiling fans are recommended for rooms that have 15 feet to 18 feet dimensions.

Some ceiling fans are specifically designed for lower ceilings, while other ceiling fans are made for households with high ceilings. An item known as a down rod, usually an optional purchase with most ceiling fan kits, can allow for the homeowner to install a standard ceiling fan in a high ceiling while actually lowering the ceiling fan to an appropriate useable level. If the homeowner has a ceiling that slopes, they will be required to purchase specific sloping mounts for ceiling fan installation.

Ceiling fans come in a variety of styles and the style chosen is completely up to the homeowner. Some are plain and simple while others are quite decorative. Some homeowners may opt to install a ceiling fan that has lights so that the fan offers air circulation and lighting properties. Meanwhile, some homeowners may elect to replace ceiling fans in their home with the latest, more decorative ceiling fans offered on today's market.

What's Needed to Install a Ceiling Fan?
There are several must haves when it comes to installing a ceiling fan. Whether one is about to replace a ceiling fan or to install a new ceiling fan from scratch, there are several "at minimums" one is going to want to have on hand. First, homeowners will want to purchase a ceiling fan kit - kits typically come with mounting equipment, fan, blades, motors, and lighting (if part of the ceiling fan in question). To install a ceiling fan, the homeowner will also require electrical tape for wiring purposes, a ladder to reach the location where the ceiling fan is to be installed, both a Phillips and a flat head screw driver (the screws in the ceiling fan kit will determine which of the two screwdrivers are needed - in some instances both are required). The ceiling fan installer will also require wire cutters, wire nuts, and for safety purposes, it is always recommended that the installer wear goggles during the process of ceiling fan installation.

Before the Ceiling Fan Installation Process Begins
If a homeowner is opting to replace an existing ceiling fan, then choosing a location is simple. The installed fan is removed and the new fan services as a replacement ceiling fan in the same location. As noted earlier, it is necessary to review all of the instructions before commencing with the ceiling fan installation. Skimming the instructions is not adequate and it is necessary for the installer's safety that all ceiling fan installation instructions are thoroughly understood.

Once the installer is completely familiar with the instructions, the next step is to ensure that the ceiling fan kit contains everything required. Usually the instruction guide will include a list of what is supposed to be included in the kit and the homeowner can then compare what is in the box against the included list. There is nothing worse than getting half way through a ceiling fan installation only to discover that a vital and necessary part is missing and that the installation cannot be completed without the missing part!

Where to Install the Ceiling Fan
If this is the very first ceiling fan installation in a room and no prior ceiling fan exists, there are certain measures the installer will need to take. First off, if there is no fan in a room but there is a source of central lighting where the homeowner wants to install the ceiling fan, then the lighting will need to be disconnected and removed. Before that can begin, the homeowner must make absolutely certain that there is no electricity whatsoever running to the existing central lighting source. The electrical power can be disconnected at the circuit breaker box or fuse box, depending upon the home and the source of electricity. After the electricity has been completely turned off, and this is done with absolute certainty, then the homeowner can proceed with removing the existing lighting and fixtures. How can the homeowner be sure that the electricity is completely off? There are several ways: the easiest way would involve cutting off power at the main breaker box, usually located outdoors or in a basement. Using a circuit tester to deem that the electricity is disconnected is also another way of testing for current. When the presence of no current is confirmed, then the removal process can commence.

To install a ceiling fan where there are no existing fixtures, the homeowner must first discover the center of the ceiling in the room where the fan is being installed. There are laser tools that a homeowner can used to find the center of the room, but there are also alternative measures like the act of using diagonal chalk lines (a process that requires some clean up later on), or by using a traditional measuring tape to find the very center of the room.

Putting the Ceiling Fan Together
When a homeowner purchases a ceiling fan kit the kit will include the components and a step-by-step installation guide. The guide often comes with easy to understand pictures to follow and it should be followed to the letter. When screwing the fan together the homeowner needs to understand that, while the fan should be secure, it should never be screwed together so tightly that it actually damages the components of the fan. It is never recommended that a power screwdriver be used - it can cause the homeowner to use too much pressure on the various fan components.

Different fans will involve different assembly instructions. Some ceiling fan installations require that the entire fan be put together before it is mounted to the ceiling, others allow for part of the fan to be mounted and the blades to be added later. The additional piece that allows for the separate installation of blades is what is understood as a speed ring. Whether or not the fan a homeowner has purchased includes a speed ring depends upon the maker of the fan and what is included in the kit purchase. Again, the instructions that come with the ceiling fan are completely revealing.

Ceiling Fan Addition and Electrical Precautions
Whenever a homeowner works with electricity it is imperative that additional safety measures are implemented. Whether the ceiling fan is a first time install or the homeowner merely wants to replace the ceiling fan in existence, all of the wires used during the process of installation must meet certain legal standards set forth by the National Electrical Code. If the homeowner is unfamiliar with wiring, installing wiring, or wiring codes, it may be time to consider bringing in a fan contractor: one that is knowledgable about proper electrical installations.

When working with electricity and installing a ceiling fan, it is also a good idea if the homeowner is not alone. While the homeowner attempts to install the ceiling fan, another individual can make sure that the electricity remains off, and that no one attempts to turn it back on unknowingly. Also, if the homeowner is injured by electrocution, or by an accidental fall from the stepladder, someone else will be present to help the individual in case of an emergency.

Ceiling Fan Installation and Proper Mounting
The most important thing when it comes to a ceiling fan installation, other than proper wiring, involves proper ceiling fan mounting. A ceiling fan addition can be a very dangerous thing indeed if the fan is not mounted according to directions. Mounting a ceiling fan requires that the fan be mounted to the appropriate fixtures for its weight and that it is solidly in place; every ceiling fan will move when it is in use and the motion causes vibrations. An improperly mounted ceiling fan could dislodge from its fixtures via too much vibration and cause significant injury. The ceiling fan can be mounted to a beam within the ceiling if the installer uses a beam mount and in some cases it is mounted to a joist.

When in Doubt, Contract Out
Homeowners find that hiring a fan contractor is often the easiest choice. Rather than go through the process of attempting to install a ceiling fan or replace a ceiling fan, the homeowner allows a fan contractor to complete the installation instead. The benefits of allowing a fan contractor to place a ceiling fan in any room are myriad; first, the homeowner doesn't have to worry about electrical problems. Second, the homeowner doesn't have to be concerned that the fan has been improperly mounted.

Ceiling fan contractors vary in terms of fees, but some homeowners believe that there can't be a price placed on properly installed equipment and peace of mind. Ultimately the choice is up to the homeowner; they can simply follow the detailed instructions included in the ceiling fan kit selected for purchase, or have a contractor install it professionally for them at a set fee. The fees usually run anywhere from 70.00 to 200.00 dollars, depending upon the contractor. The latter fees are not including the cost of the ceiling fan, but merely reflect to cost of the labor for the ceiling fan replacement or installation.


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