| * An easy-to-install ceiling fan can make a real | | | | screws over time. * The hanger bracket may accept |
| difference in your home's climate-both cooling and | | | | either a half-ball hanger or a hook-type hanger, |
| heating-at a far lower cost and operating expense | | | | depending on which kind your fan uses. Either way, the |
| than almost any other item. * The installation begins | | | | hanger is carefully slipped into the bracket. * Next, the |
| with choosing where the fan should be located. In | | | | unit is wired, and the ceiling cover is slipped up to its full |
| almost all homes, the fan is installed in the center of the | | | | height and tightened in place. * Be sure to connect the |
| room, replacing a central light fixture. This spot provides | | | | black house wires to the black fan wires, and the |
| a smooth air flow to most of the room. * Since a fan | | | | white house wires to the white fan wires. * The fan |
| draws about the same power as a ceiling fixture, the | | | | should be electrically grounded to both the metal box |
| electrical circuit shouldn't be overloaded. But if your fan | | | | and the fan. The grounding wires will be either green or |
| includes lights, be sure the circuit it's on has enough | | | | bare copper. A green grounding pigtail attached to the |
| extra capacity to handle the load. If not, you must run a | | | | box by a bonding screw will make your work easier. |
| new circuit with a new circuit breaker from the house | | | | Wire-nut the ground wires from the box, the fan and |
| main service panel or sub-panel to the fan. * If there is | | | | the power supply together. * If the fan wobbles when |
| no central light fixture, you'll have to create a place to | | | | it runs, its blades may be unbalanced. To correct this, |
| hang the ceiling fan. Then, you'll need to bring electrical | | | | try interchanging two adjacent blades. If that doesn't |
| power to it. You can tap into an existing circuit to do | | | | work, take all the blades off and weigh each one on a |
| this. MOUNTING THE CEILING FAN * Start your | | | | food or postal scale. If any is underweight, tape a soft |
| installation by turning off the power to the light's circuit | | | | object such as a pencil eraser or modeling clay to the |
| breaker or fuse. Only then should you remove the light | | | | top center of the blade, making its weight the same as |
| fixture. * If there is no central light fixture, snap diagonal | | | | the others. Fan balancing kits with detailed instructions |
| chalk lines from opposite corners of the room to find | | | | are also available. Reinstall the blades and the fan |
| its center. Determine whether the lines cross exactly | | | | should run smoothly. The fan should be electrically |
| below a ceiling joist. If they do, move aside just far | | | | bonded to its grounded metal junction box using a bare |
| enough between joists to let you fasten the side of | | | | or green-insulated wire. PROBLEM HANGING * When |
| the fan's new junction box directly to the joist. * Cut a | | | | nothing else works for fan mounting, use a piece of |
| hole large enough for the junction box to be slipped in. | | | | good-looking hardwood plywood as a fan-mount. It |
| If it's next to the joist, drill holes in its side and screw it | | | | should be large enough to extend over two joists. The |
| to the joist. * Installation between joists is OK, too. | | | | size may be 18 "x 18" or 26 "x 26", or any variant that |
| Fasten the box to a 2x4 header nailed between the | | | | does the job. * Use brass screws in pilot-drilled holes to |
| joists. Sometimes, you can insert a 2x4 header | | | | attach the plywood to the ceiling joists. The screw |
| through the junction box's hole, nailing it to each joist. If | | | | length will vary, depending on the thickness of the |
| not, you may need to open a larger access hole. Then, | | | | plywood and plaster or plasterboard ceiling below the |
| patch the hole to close it again. * You may choose to | | | | joists. Use one screw every 6 ". * The plywood will |
| use a patented fan support unit designed to be | | | | have an access hole of proper size cut in its center, |
| inserted through the normal junction box hole to save | | | | and will serve as the main mounting member for the |
| you from opening a hole in the ceiling. * Use only a | | | | junction box above it. * Finish the plywood with an |
| metal junction box to support a ceiling fan-never hang | | | | outside corner molding, mitered at the corners for a |
| the fan from a plastic box. Depending on the brand, | | | | neat appearance. * Or, you can get a |
| style, and size of your ceiling fan-and your electrical | | | | surface-mounting fixture box along with a surface |
| code - you may use a 4 "or 3" octagonal junction box. | | | | conduit wiring system that meets electrical codes. This |
| (Some local codes don't permit the use of 3 "boxes.) * | | | | allows you to do the wiring installation on the ceiling and |
| The heaviest fan that should be supported by an | | | | wall, rather than behind it. * You may wish to wire your |
| outlet box is 35 lbs .. If it weighs more, the building | | | | new ceiling fan through a fan speed control. This lets |
| structure must support it. * Whatever you do, make | | | | you set its operating speed smoothly and easily. A |
| sure the junction box is supported well enough to hold | | | | hardwood plywood panel will cover the large hole in |
| at least 50 lbs. That's the weight of an average ceiling | | | | the ceiling made in building a secure mounting system. |
| fan. Also, your mounting must be able to withstand | | | | SWAG KIT USE * Swag kits are available if you wish |
| vibration while the fan is running. Even a well-balanced | | | | to have a super-easy installation and a degree of |
| fan creates some vibration when it runs. * You'll use a | | | | portability in a ceiling fan. These replace the |
| special beam mount when mounting a fan to a | | | | above-ceiling wiring job. In this case, though, the hanger |
| beamed ceiling. Use one kind for a horizontal beam, | | | | bracket is screwed directly into a ceiling joist . * The |
| another for a pitched beam (Fig. 3). You may need an | | | | swag kit is wired into the fan, and the fan assembled |
| extender to lower the fan to the proper level. * | | | | as described earlier. Then slip it into the hanger bracket. |
| Fan-mounting is particularly important because any | | | | * The chain and cord are hung from hooks carried |
| failure to make things secure could allow your fan to | | | | across the ceiling, toward a wall and down the wall, |
| fall from the ceiling. Click on drawing above to view | | | | where the cord plugs into a handy receptacle. * A |
| animation. Patented hangers are easy to install and | | | | swag-mounted ceiling fan can be taken down in a few |
| relatively inexpensive. Mounts for beam ceilings are | | | | minutes and moved to another location. A swag kit lets |
| available for either horizontal or pitched beams. | | | | the fan wiring run across the ceiling and down to a |
| ASSEMBLY * Fan assembly varies from brand to | | | | convenient wall receptacle. ELECTRICAL SAFETY * |
| brand. Be sure to follow the specific instructions with | | | | Use extra care when working with electricity. Less |
| the unit you buy. Regardless of the manufacturer's | | | | current than it takes to light a 60-watt bulb can be |
| instructions, if the fan blades are less than a | | | | lethal. * All wiring should conform to local electrical |
| screwdriver's length away from the ceiling, it may be | | | | codes as well as to the current National Electrical |
| best to install the blades before hanging the fan. * The | | | | Code (NEC). You can probably find a copy of the |
| hanger pipe is usually placed into its hole on top of the | | | | NEC at your local library. * Never trust a light switch to |
| motor. The wires are drawn up in the center. A set | | | | render a fixture "dead," because sometimes the |
| screw is tightened securely to make sure the pipe | | | | power enters at the fixture, even when the switch is |
| stays in place after it is threaded down. * Some fans | | | | located in the circuit beyond it. * Turn off the circuit |
| have a separate motor hub into which the hanger pipe | | | | you're working on by switching off a circuit breaker or |
| mounts. In this case, you'll place the actual motor | | | | by unscrewing a fuse (the house main switch should |
| housing over the hub. * Other fans have a two- piece | | | | be off when handling fuses). Then padlock the panel if |
| decorative ceiling cover to hide the hole in the ceiling. It | | | | you can. * Make sure the circuit is truly "dead" before |
| is installed after the fan has been hung on the ceiling. * | | | | touching any wires or terminals. Check with a |
| Tighten the set screw well. * Other models use a | | | | high-voltage neon tester. Test from the black wires to |
| hook, with the hanger bracket designed to accept it. * | | | | a grounded metal box or other good ground, then to |
| To attach the fan blades, set the motor unit down | | | | the white wires. Also test from the white wires to a |
| where it will be stable. Often, the styrene foam | | | | ground. Since there may be more than one circuit |
| packing for the motor housing makes an excellent | | | | inside an outlet box, before you take off a cover, see |
| stabilizer on your worktable. * Most fan blades have a | | | | that all of its circuits are off. Also, be sure your tester |
| two-pronged attachment, using screws that come | | | | is functioning by first trying it in a live receptacle. * Test |
| through holes in the blades and into the flanges. These | | | | your finished work with the power on using the neon |
| need to be drawn up securely, but not so tightly that | | | | tester. Check black to white and black to a ground. It |
| the threads are damaged or the laminated blade | | | | should light. Test white to ground. It should not light. * If |
| material is crushed. On many fans you'll find the | | | | you aren't knowledgeable about working around |
| flanges, or prongs, also need to be mounted to the | | | | electricity, call in a professional. TOOL AND |
| motor housing. If this is the case, mount them before | | | | MATERIAL CHECKLIST * Ceiling Fan * Swag Kit * |
| the flanges are mounted to the blades themselves. | | | | Low-Ceiling Mount * Patented Support Unit * Neon |
| Turn the motor so its wires are on top, and place the | | | | Test Light * Claw Hammer * Speed Controller * |
| ceiling cover onto the hanger pipe. hook-style hangers | | | | Wallboard or Compass Saw * Stud Locator * |
| fasten over pins that are attached to the ceiling. with | | | | Electrician's Pliers * Cable-Ripper * Cable, Switch / |
| the fan motor inverted, install the flanges and then the | | | | Outlet Box, Switch, Box Connectors * Wire-nuts, |
| blades. HEIGHT BENEATH BLADES * Now, check the | | | | Switch Cover, Bonding Screw, Staples * Mounting Kit * |
| floor-to-ceiling height of the fan blades. You can do this | | | | Lock Washers * Angled-Ceiling Mount * 4 "x 1-1/2" |
| by measuring the floor -to-ceiling distance and | | | | Octagon Electrical Box * No. 2 Phillips Screwdriver * 3 |
| subtracting for the part of the fan that will extend | | | | 16 "Slotted Screwdriver * Pliers * Soft Cloth * Ladder |
| below the ceiling down to the lower blade surface. An | | | | * Wire-Stripper * Surface-Wiring System Check your |
| absolute minimum height of 7 'is recommended. This | | | | state and local codes before starting any project. |
| may be reinforced by building codes in your area. * If | | | | Follow all safety precautions. Information in this |
| the floor-to-ceiling distance is too little, check into a | | | | document has been furnished by the National Retail |
| low-ceiling mount for your fan. With some models, the | | | | Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated |
| fan blade height can be increased by as much as 10 ". | | | | contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure |
| Remember, though, that you need at least 12 | | | | accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor |
| "between the ceiling and the tops of the fan blades for | | | | nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or |
| proper airflow. Having 18" is better if the space is | | | | injuries resulting from the use of the information in this |
| available. A ceiling fan should be no lower than 7 'from | | | | document. Ask for Other "Show-How" Instruction |
| the floor - the higher the better. Also, it needs at least | | | | Sheets Additional easy-to-use instruction sheets for |
| 12 MOUNTING THE FAN TO THE BOX * Install the | | | | home do-it-yourself projects are available from your |
| hanger bracket on the box with screws and lock | | | | local supplier of materials. Come in and ask for |
| washers. If no lock washers are supplied, get | | | | "Show-How" instructions when you get ready for that |
| some-they prevent fan vibration from loosening the | | | | next handyman project! |