Instructions for Installing Ceiling Fans

Use these easy instructions for installing ceiling fans to help you complete a safe install and show your new fan to best advantage.

To install a ceiling fan successfully, you need the right fan and a plan of action. Not to sound dire here, but a poorly installed fan can wobble, rattle or hum, and even pull away from the ceiling. Taking a little time now to understand what you need will help to avoid problems later.

Measure the dimensions of your room to determine how large a fan you'll need. Although the square footage of the room is important, so is ceiling height. Stay away from fans that hug the ceiling. They won't circulate the air as efficiently as models that have housings or downrods that suspend the blades at least 10 inches from the ceiling. For safety, the blades should also be at least seven feet from the floor. Higher ceilings can accommodate larger fan sizes, particularly if you have multi-speed controls. Just remember, a fan that's too large can look like a small plane has just crashed into your ceiling.

The following guide will give you an idea of the fan size you should be looking for:

• Small room (8' x 8' or less) - 36 inch fan or smaller
• Medium sized room (10' x 10') - 37 to 48 inch fan
• Large room (15' x 15') - 49 to 55 inch fan
• Very large room or large room with a high ceiling - 56 inch fan or larger
• Long room (18' or more) - two fans 37 to 48 inches

Check the existing electrical box in your ceiling to make sure that it is ceiling fan rated. Special boxes designed for use with ceiling fans are sturdier than standard boxes and will typically have a support bar or attach directly to a joist. They also have holes designed for long-threaded screws to make a strong, firm attachment. Don't try to install a ceiling fan to a standard box even if it has supported a fan in the past. Pay a little extra and do the job right.

Remove the fixture or fan currently mounted in your ceiling and measure the size of the cutout. Choose a fan with a canopy, the decorative piece that attaches to the ceiling, which will cover the existing opening.

• Turn off the power to the room at your electrical panel.

• Attach the fan brace by slipping it through the hole in the ceiling and positioning it so that it touches the joists on both sides of the hole. The legs should be touching the plaster or drywall.

• Make sure that the brace is centered and then tighten it in place.

• Attach the box.

• Install the fan's mounting plate to the box.

• Assemble the fan according to the manufacturer's directions.

• Hang the assembled fan to the hook on the mounting plate.

• Attach the green wire on the fan base to the copper ground wire.

• Check the manufacturer's directions for connecting the electrical service. Your assembly may have either a two or three wire connection, and may also have remote control capability for which you'll have to attach a receiver.

• Have an assistant hold the fan motor while you connect the fan's canopy to the ceiling plate.

These generic instructions for installing ceiling fans will get you started, but always read the manufacturer's instructions for your specific fan make and model.

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