How to Install a Ceiling Fan

Do It Yourself or Hire a Pro?
If your room has a ceiling light fixture, installing a ceiling fan is a straightforward and rewarding job, provided you know a little something about wiring and electricity. If there's no existing fixture to attach to, hire an electrician to run a new line and install a new fan. Or you can take over once the new ceiling-fan box is in place and install the fan yourself.

Rules of Thumb
For safety's sake and fan efficiency, the blades must not be lower than 7 feet from the floor, nor less than a foot from the ceiling. (In a room with minimal headroom, choose a flush-mount or "hugger" model.) In a high-ceilinged room, be sure the blades are no more than 10 feet above the floor, or you may not feel enough breeze.

Fan prices vary tremendously. Top-of-the-line models ($200 and up) tend to be quieter and better-looking; they may be best suited to a living room or bedroom. On the other end of the scale, a somewhat noisier fan might be for a shop or kitchen.

Read the installation instructions that come with your fan, and take the parts out of the package and make sure they're all there. Then familiarize yourself with the steps below.

Which Fan?
Fans come in many styles, from period reproductions to sleek, modern designs. Choose yours to complement your decor, and when in doubt, keep it simple. Ceiling fans are so conspicuously located that it's easy for them to blow you away literally and visually. So keep it subtle and size it right.

Step by Step
1. Remove the old fixture. Turn off the power and test the circuit to be sure it's off. Take apart the old fixture and disconnect it from the ceiling box. This will likely leave you with an unattractive hole in the ceiling with wires hanging out, but it will be covered soon enough by your new fan. First, however, you'll probably need to put in a ceiling box that will support the weight of that fan.

2. Replace the ceiling box and its mounting. Standard electrical ceiling boxes aren't rated to withstand either the weight or the motion of a ceiling fan. A fan's box must be mounted to ceiling joists. If there's not a joist immediately adjacent to the hole in your ceiling, you have two ways to go:

If you have access from above (an unfinished attic, for example), you can cut and fasten a 2-by-6 between joists, as in the top-left detail. Since hammering in nails can crack or disturb the ceiling below, attach the 2-by-6 bridging with 3-inch screws driven through the joists. (This task will be easier if you predrill the screw holes. A great situation, by the way, for using a cordless drill.)

If you lack access from above, use a hanger bar (see the top-right detail of the drawing) to bridge the space between joists. Enlarge the hole in the ceiling with a keyhole saw so it's big enough to slip the bar through. You can patch the hole later. Extend the hanger bar until it's snug against both joists. Next, give the expansion screw a full turn with a wrench to force the bar's prongs into the joists. (Screw the bar ends to the joists if you can, too.) "Fish" the house wires through the box, and fasten them with a cable clamp.

Then screw a new electrical box approved for supporting a ceiling fan to the 2-by-6, or mount it to the hanger bar with u-bolts.

3. Attach the mounting bracket. Follow your fan's installation instructions to attach its mounting bracket to the electrical box. Pull the wires through the mounting bracket to prepare them for wiring to the fan motor. Strip the wire ends if necessary.

4. Hang and connect the fan. If the fan has a down rod, attach it to the fan motor, feeding the fan wires up through it. Hang the whole assembly from the mounting bracket. (Most manufacturers provide a temporary means of supporting the weight while you do the wiring, such as the ball-and-socket hanger shown.)

Next, splice the wires with wire connectors per manufacturer's directions. Most fans are wired green-to-green (ground); white-to-white (neutral); black-to-black (hot); and, when a light is attached to the fan, red or blue to black. Carefully stuff the wires into the electrical box. Fasten the canopy in place to cover the mounting bracket and wires.

5. Attach the fan blades. Slide each blade into its slot and secure it with the provided screws, cushions and washers. Drive the center screws first, then the outer ones. The blades, being lightweight, are rather delicate, so don't overtighten or you may crack them. Rotate the blades by hand to be sure they turn freely. When you're sure nothing is obstructing them, turn on the power and enjoy the breeze.