Ceiling fan troubleshooting is needed when your fan is not working correctly. There are (6) Key Topics in this series.
'Checking for Ceiling Fan Power' and 'Loose Ceiling Fan Wires' discuss the electrical issues your fan can have.
The article on 'Wobbling Ceiling Fans' covers balancing and fan blade issues. A 'Noisy Ceiling Fan' is another annoying problem.
'Ceiling Fan Pull Chains' control the air movement and the light. 'Ceiling Fan Air Movement' provides information on adjusting the air flow.
There are several things that might be giving you trouble. The fan may not work, the light won't turn on. Is it wobbling or making noise? Is it stuck on one speed? Focusing on the right problem will help you get your ceiling fan working like a champ again.
Originally ceiling fans were powered by water and belts. Too expensive for the average person. Today they are powered by electricity and usually have a light with them. They are popular both for the ability to move air and for the visual appeal. Most of them have three, four or five blades.
A new ceiling fan can be a little pricey, anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars. Did not want to spend that right now? See if you can get your fan working better and wait to get a new one. Read the information below and check the evaluation sections. After the you can start your ceiling fan troubleshooting.
Ceiling Fan Information
What Can You Save? - The price of a new fan is the main item. You could call an electrician out and he might charge you $50 to $75 to repair the old one. He may tell you it is toast and sell you a new fan. Could be quite a bit more depending on the fan you get. A few hundred dollars is a lot to spend if you can fix it yourself.
How Hard Could It Be? - The main problem with ceiling fan troubleshooting is the size and weight of the fan. Taking it off to check the wiring could be a little difficult. These repairs will have a Difficulty Level of: A Bit of Work. These repairs require a Skill Level of: Determined Handyman. For and explanation of the terms in this section, see 'How to Use This Site'.
Check the Simple Things! - Light bulbs, did you check them? The circuit breaker would be the next easy thing. Make sure it is not tripped. Check the fan reversing switch on the side of the housing. The fan won't run if it is not pushed in place correctly.
What Can Go Wrong? - I already mentioned that they are heavy. Newer fans have a hanging hook to support the weight while it is being worked on. Older ones do not. Get some help, dropping the fan will not do it any good. Weighting the blades to stop a wobble could make it worse.
Ceiling Fan Issues
If your fan won't work, the first thing that you want to do is make sure it has power. 'Checking for Ceiling Fan Power' covered how you can do this.
Checking the wiring in the ceiling fan and at the ceiling box is a bit more work. The article 'Checking for Loose Ceiling Fan Wiring' discusses how you can locate a power issue inside of your fan.
Fixing a 'Wobbling Ceiling Fan' is not that hard if the blades are still in good shape. Find out what to look for.
Another common problem is a 'Noisy Ceiling Fan'. This article helped you to solve this problem.
One part that can break on a ceiling fan is the pull chain. 'Ceiling Fan Pull Chains' talked about what to do when one of these fails.
Is your ceiling fan providing enough air? The article 'Ceiling Fan Air Movement' provided information on what you can do to adjust your fan.
Were you able to locate your problem? Better yet, were you able to solve your problem? We hope so. Most issues with a ceiling fan can be resolved without too much difficulty. Tightening things up or fixing a loose wire should not have taken too long.
Not a lot you can do with an old fan that is noisy. You may want to start saving your coupons to get a new one. The newer ones are a lot quieter and move the air much better. We hope you have found your ceiling fan troubleshooting experience to be rewarding. If not rewarding, successful.