Diy ceiling fan installation

Looking to upgrade your ceiling fan? Read this step-by-step guide to putting in a versatile and stylish fixture. The popularity of ceiling fans continues to grow as more and more homeowners discover dramatic, year-round energy savings.

In summer, ceiling fans create cooling breezes, which reduce the strain on air conditioners. In winter, they circulate heated air to keep the room warm. Installing a ceiling fan is relatively simple, especially if the space above is accessible from an attic. However, even when it isn't, the job is still quite doable. Here, we'll show how to replace an old light fixture with a new ceiling fan and light, in a room with no attic above.

The advantage of this approach is that you don't have to run new wiring. The fan connects to the existing cable from the old light. Step blade span down a bit for rooms with low ceilings, and go wider if the ceilings are high.

Another good rule of thumb is to remember that blade spans of less than 36 inches are ideal for spaces smaller than 75 square feet, such as baths and breakfast nooks. Spans of 36 to 42 inches work in rooms of up to square feet, like a dining room. Larger living rooms and bedrooms can handle to inch blades.

Make sure that the cubic feet of air that the fan moves per minute cfm , measured at high speed, is near the top of its class. Some inch fans, for instance, rate as low as 2, cfm, while others reach 7, High-cfm fans not only provide a better breeze, they usually have robust motors that will last longer and run more quietly. Install the fan blades, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Now you can hook up the light kit. Remove the cover plate and plug. Feed the wires through the hole, and attach the cover plate to the light kit, securing the cover tightly so that it can't come loose from vibrations. Connect the wires according to the manufacturer's instructions and use wire-nuts and electrical tape to make sure that nothing will come loose when the fan is operating.

Push the wires into the switch-housing and attach the light kit. Install light bulbs. You're done! Now turn the power back on at the breaker box, and test your fan and light. A Light for a Fan — If you're replacing a light with a ceiling fan, though, that's where things can get a little tricky.

Compared to air conditioning units, ceiling fans are better for the environment and are a more cost effective way to keep rooms cooler or warmer. In fact, most ceiling fans use watts of energy whereas air conditioners can use as much as watts. Australia has strict regulations when it comes to working on the electrical systems in your home.

Individual states may vary slightly in rules but the general idea is the same: All electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician.

Under the Australian law, the only electrical works that can be done as DIY jobs are changing a light bulb, installing low-voltage garden lighting and rewiring fuses. Whilst you may be able to DIY a pull-cord or remote control fan, ceiling fans with a wall switch will need to be professional installed by a licensed electrical.

First, choose your favourite style of ceiling fan and pick the right location. Existing fans use the same location. But new fan installations need to consider the best solution for supplying power and electrical rewiring to route new wiring. While it is best to leave complex electrical projects to licensed electricians , do-it-yourselfers with electrical experience often tackle ceiling fan installation themselves. The tricky parts involve purchasing the right sized fan and lifting the sometimes heavy motor unit in place.

If you have installed light fixtures, you'll do fine with a ceiling fan installation. Ceiling fans are an unobtrusive and economical way to cool a room in summer and move heat back down to floor level in winter. For best air flow, locate a ceiling fan in the midpoint of the ceiling. If the existing light fixture is off center but close to center, it is easier to use its wiring than to install a new box and wiring.

Determine how far down your fan will hang once mounted. Measure from the floor to the ceiling and subtract the fan measurements. For safety reasons, the result should be at least 7'. The fan blades should also be at least 12" below the ceiling with an optimum distance of 18". Begin by turning off the power at the panel or by unscrewing the fuse in older systems. Never trust the switch alone to turn off the power.