A Complete Guide to Balance Your Ceiling Fan
Have you ever stood under a high speed wobbling ceiling fan? Scary, isn’t it? Nobody would like it. A ceiling fan, if not fixed properly, can easily damage the bushings and bearing of the motor. Not to mention the irritating fan noise it makes.
That means, you’ll soon be searching a new ceiling fan just because you didn’t balance the old one properly. We are going to discuss how you can balance your ceiling fan and end this wobbly noise for good.
But, before you proceed, make sure to switch off the fan and cut off the power at the breaker.
Basic Steps of Balancing Your Ceiling Fan
Before you begin, remove all the dirt accumulated on the ceiling fan that might be causing the imbalance. Check all the blades for evenness and make sure they’re not warped. Replace the blades that have begun to warp. Buy blade accessories online or from the retailers whom you bought it from earlier. While buying new blades, make sure they’re for the same brand and made by the same manufacturer.
A balanced ceiling fan has all its blades aligned at the same distance from the ceiling and floor. Even if there is a single blade that is not accurately fixed, it may cause issues. As a result, the entire ceiling fan gets damaged.
That covers the basic first steps to find the problem and resolve it right away. If the wobbling continues, the following six steps will show you how you can balance your ceiling fan.
6 Quick and Simple Steps to Balance a Ceiling Fan
Step 1: Canopy Cover
You need to loosen the screws available on the canopy cover. The canopy cover is normally adjusted with the ceiling. Now, expose the mounting bracket by sliding down the canopy cover.
Step 2: Mounting Bracket
With the mounting bracket, you will also see the outlet box. Tighten up the screws on the outlet box and the mounting bracket.
Step 3: Downrod
Check whether the pins and screws on the downrod are firmly in place. Place the pins on the downrod firmly and tighten the screws.
Step 4: Fan Blades
In the first stage, you need to fix the fan blades to the blade holders. Then come to the motor housing in which you need to secure the blade holders. The motor housing has a bracket in which you need to adjust the blade holders by bending them gently. Press the blade holders up or down for adjustment.
Step 5: The Vertical Distance
After securing the fan blades, you need to measure the vertical distance of each blade from the ceiling. Each blade must have the same vertical distance. Make correction by adjusting the blade holders, if you find any blade not maintaining the same distance as the others.
Step 6: Verify
Now, switch on the ceiling fan to verify that the wobbling has stopped.
If the wobbling continues, it’s time you should balance the ceiling fan with the help of a blade balancing kit. Read further to learn how you can use the balancing kit to stabilize your ceiling fan.
Tips for Using a Ceiling Fan Balancing Kit
It is vitally important to make sure that the main issue that was causing the imbalance, has been resolved. So, before you open your ceiling fan balancing kit and start the project, go through the checklist below:
- Have you checked and replaced the fan blades that were warped or tarnished?
- Have you cleaned the ceiling fan properly and ruling out the dirt factor that might be causing the wobbling?
- Have you tightened all the screws and secured the fan blades with the motor, properly?
If the wobbling persists even after you’ve done all these steps, it’s time to break out your ceiling fan balancing kit and stabilize your ceiling fan.
A ceiling fan balancing kit comprises of the following:
- A plastic clip,
- Three balancing weight
It is included in the package with most of the new ceiling fans. In any case, you can buy the balancing kit at fairly reasonable price.
4 Steps to Remove Wobbling using a Ceiling Fan Balancing Kit
Step 1:
Observe, at what speed your ceiling fan wobbles the most. Generally, it’s the top speed which causes maximum instability. Now, switch off the fan and wait until the blades stop motion.
Step 2:
Attach the plastic clip to the edge of the blade (choose any blade). It must be placed halfway between the tip of the blade and the blade holder. Now, switch on the ceiling fan and see if there’s any improvement.
Step 3:
If the wobbling continues, slide the clip along the entire blade length. In this way, you’ll be able to pin point the source of instability. Repeat the same process with other blades and identify the blade that causes wobbling.
Step 4:
Put the balancing weight on the faulty blade, on its centerline. It must be pressed parallel to the clip.
If the wobbling continues after using the balancing kit, check whether you’ve installed a fan-only outlet box that can withstand the weight of your ceiling fan. Also make sure that the outlet box is firmly fixed to the ceiling. If the problem persists, you can call a licensed electrician who will review the installation. If in the end you decide a replacement is needed, check out our guide on how to buy a ceiling fan.