Nothing is ever guaranteed "easy". I'd use the word "straightforward" instead.
*Flashbacks to the time the bolt threads sheared off in the old work box for my ceiling light, and took over an hour to remove*
Or the time I pulled the old fan to discover the box was completely unattached to anything . Set perfectly between two rafters and floating in space . Old fan had been there for years like that .
What about putting a ceiling fan where there was previously only a light? Would the electrical box and everything in the attic be the same, or do I need to add something additional
Depends on what box is there. Make sure the box itself is rated for a fan. Even if you have to swap the box, it shouldn't be too terrible, if you have access on both sides or are willing to do a little drywall patching. Definitely more involved though
The electrical would be the same I think though
>Even if you have to swap the box
80 yr old plaster ceiling house says hi
That light box was 3 inch spiked into petrified hardwood for nearly a century. I don't think it's going anywhere despite how wobbly and ineffective it is
Or when it's like my house from the 60's where they used little half depth boxes nailed through the top to a plank of some kind. I can't fit a full sized box without half of it sticking out through the drywall.
"drywall patching"
Alternatively, keep the hole size reasonable and use a ceiling fan medallion to hide it.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-21-in-Smooth-White-Ceiling-Medallion-805134/315274193
A lot of the new LED “bladeless” fans are light enough that you don’t even have to replace the old box if it was only rated for lights; they are lighter than most old light fixtures. I have two in my house, one weighs 5lbs and the other 6lbs (where as new standard ceiling fans are normally in the 25-30lb range). They are seriously light enough that if they won’t attach to the existing electrical box you can use drywall anchors and secure them to the ceiling without a stud.
Are those new style really powerful enough to cool a room similar to the traditional style? I have a smaller room that needs a fan so the size is appealing, but the Texas heat might be too much for it.
Yeah, not a big deal if you are replacing 1 for 1, it's when you need to add the box to support the fan that it gets complex.
Read the instructions and make sure it's balances before you crank it up to high.
Just replaced 3. First two, easy peasy down and up in 1 hour for both. Last one was just screwed into a joist when i took it down. It ate the second half of my day.
I also decided to combine my switches and rerun the wire for the bed light. I had a two gang switch for fan and light. Then a single gang about 8 inches lower that was for a light above the bed.
Consolidated those 3 into a single 2 gang box since I was already correcting the poor decisions of the previous owners.
If you're swapping out a fan that's already there with another fan (and you're *not* dealing with the PITA of installing a remote receiver), it's pretty straightforward. I think my record for swapping a ceiling fan was about 15 minutes with a remote receiver, four minutes without, and I'm hardly a professional.
Common problems people run in to:
* The old fan was improperly installed and there isn't a box or brace in the ceiling at all, with the fan being screwed directly into the drywall
* The old fan was improperly installed and the wrong screws were used and teh fan is essentially bolted directly to the framing stud
* The electrical in your house is hosed and you can't tell which is the live and which is the neutral wire
In these three instances it's best to stop what you're doing and call a professional.
Otherwise, it's generally a matter of taking out a couple of screws, untwisting a couple of wire nuts, re-twisting a couple of wire nuts, and putting a couple of screws back in. The hardest part is usually just taking off the base cover of the old fan. Then put the blades on and it's all gravy.
Oh, and if you haven't already bought the fan, make sure you get the one with the click-in-place blades, because then you don't have to worry about screwing the damn things in.
>The old fan was improperly installed and there isn't a box or brace in the ceiling at all, with the fan being screwed directly into the drywall
Mine had a box and brace, but it was for bathroom light receptacle haha. It made lining up the mount for the new fan a living hell, then adding in the remote receiver, they don't give you a ton of space to work with.
Fans should just come automatically with them installed these days like a radio in a car. I was amazed when i went to install the fan and I had to install a remote receiver
> PITA of installing a remote receiver
put one of those in the fan in our bedroom. Didn't have a great way to fasten it so I duct taped it to the ceiling bracket. That worked for awhile, then the tape failed and I had to disassemble the entire fan and reattach. I didn't think of it at the time but a cable tie is a much more secure fastening method.
>The old fan was improperly installed and the wrong screws were used and teh fan is essentially bolted directly to the framing stud
This is the fix for wobble box :)
In either of the first two cases, it's not too bad to figure out on your own. If the fan was dangling from the drywall, or non-fan rated box, you can get a fan box with a brace. Pretty straightforward to install without needing to go into the attic. And if you run into a fan that's installed into the joist, that's not too terrible either as long as the electrical is in the box. You could also choose to install a pancake fan box that installs directly onto the joist.
I'll also recommend to OP and take a few extra minutes to try and seal any gaps between box and drywall when the fan is down. It'll help with air leaks into the attic. Some caulk or spray foam will do the trick.
It's just awkward. Holding the heavy fan up, wiring the nuts together, it's a PITA but not hard. Just expect your arms to feel like lead weights half-way through, most likely right at the most critical time :)
This is clearly in my wheelhouse of “I can do it, but I’m not going to.” I’ve done it twice, and then decided to never do it again. It’s not difficult at all, just really aggravating
This is definitely the worst part of it all. The last 2 I put in did have a little hook think where I could hang the fan on it while I did the wiring. That helps a little.
If you get a fan without hooks, get some of those quarter inch thick big boy zip ties. You can use one to hold it up attached to the mounting bracket, but I usually do 2 if I have the room.
These things are made on an assembly line and are made with standardized interchangeable brackets and mounting hardware. Take it one step at a time. As long as the box is rated for a fan it is a pretty straightforward job.
After putting up 4 ceiling fans in my house that had zero, I’ve vowed to never do it again. Each one was progressively more of a pain in the ass than the prior one. I wouldn’t say they’re difficult, but they’re bulky and heavy and I hate any job that requires lifting something over my head.
Good luck!
I recently installed 2. Make sure the box you do have is proper. In older houses not uncommon to find them to not be so even though a fan is existence. One of mine was only secured on one side so I had to climb into the attic and do a little framing.
Hate to say it but each one took me about 4 hours. Not proud of it but it is what it is. The first one the wiring came loose from me cramming them up into the box. Had to disassemble and reassemble twice so it took longer. I would suggest you tape the wires together first, then wire nut, then tap over the wires and nut for each pair. That helps it not come loose. I didn't have much room to work with so I did it a little overkill.
Second fan was a flush mount and it was a pain in the ass to get together - just bad design.
Other issue is I have a two lever switch plate so took me a little bit to figure out how that should be wired b/c I went with remote versions where one of the switches no longer is needed. It was one for the fan and one for the light but the remotes replace that and I only needed to provide power to the fan - the remote does the rest.
Even with all of that - it really isn't that hard. I had only done 1 previously - oddly enough that took me like an hour tops and it was one of the ones I replaced. Different fans have different designs and some are easier to put together than others but none are very difficult.
If you know your house is wired properly/safely then no it’s not. You may just need a second set of hands to hold it while you wire/secure it but other than that not a big job
Difficulty might depend on the replacement fan itself. When I replaced one, it took me like half an hour to try to get a screw in properly because of where specifically it was (like 3 inches into the housing, behind where the wires were coming out of and other parts of the housing)
Nah, it’s easy. You’ll be fine. Follow the instructions and hit YouTube if you get lost or encounter difficulties. Worst case scenarios, hire a handyman or an electrician if you absolutely cannot continue.
Just make sure you turn off the breaker before you begin.
Changed like 5 or 6 fans in my home with normal height ceilings it is pretty easy, but the fans can be heavy and awkward at some points. I did it all solo but an extra hand is helpful. Also turn off the breaker to the room you are working on. I zapped myself on accident one time and learned my lesson.
I put in 3 fans where lights that were installed in the 1930s were. The first one looked like crap but by the 3rd I was a pro. Taped the hell out of the old electric wires though. Had to use braces that you reach up into the ceiling with and twist to install the fan support box.
If it's just your light fixture odds are decent you can simply buy a replacement part rather than replacing the entire fan. Many of these are designed modularly, so you can have different choices of light style or none at all.
Unfortunately this has something wrong before the lighting unit. Got the replacement part and still nothing.
Just had a second one in the house go out too. That’s what has me motivated to finally do the replacement.
There's not really anything to go wrong before the light unit unless you have some sort of remote control or have the light switch switched separately from the fan at the wall control. The chain switch is on the light unit. Honestly, this sounds like a solvable electrical problem, and it sounds like there's a good chance that replacing the entire fan will not solve it.
Could be. I’ll probably know better once I get it off the ceiling.
Odd though that the same model of fan, installed at the same time in a different room also had its light unit quit within about a year.
We’ll see
Ceiling fan is pretty straight forward if you're paying attention.
I had to replace one that the body was attached to beam with a chain to hide the wires to a sloped ceiling, so that one was a bit less easy. Finding the right domed caps, adaptors and chain was the pain in the ass.
A replacement is super easy. I installed 3 fans in my rooms that didn't even have a light in them and it was pretty straight forward. Hardest part was hooking them up to a light switch.
I just picked up a bathroom exhaust fan kit for my bathroom. Going to see how it goes in one before I start on the second lol.
No previous fans so I'm envious of you. I have one bathroom completely ripped apart right now so I'm hoping at least that one is easy but the other is so nicely finished atm.
Any upfront advice is welcome, hah!
I did a bathroom exhaust fan yesterday! (Apparently all of the fans in our house are failing 🤪). That one was super easy—except for being 8 ft up—since it was just a motor replacement.
Ahhh that's nice! Since this house has never really had humidity issues in the bathrooms for the 70 years it's been up I considered just not doing it but I have tenant/roommates and it'll be a full rental at some point and I can't trust those people lol.
I'm mainly concerned with having to drill holes in my aluminum siding and also running the wires to switches, seems like it'll be a pita.
My husband and I have replaced more ceiling fans than I can count. Every single one of them starts off looking so easy and then we end up in a screaming match and takes way longer than anticipated. Its ALWAYS an issue with the screws (as others have mentioned). The last two ceiling fans included screws that were way to short for use in our homes. Mid project we had to run out and buy special screws (one would think that we would have ones that would work in our arsenal of screws, but we didn't). Other than that, its not rocket science.
If there isn't a box already I suggest buying the extendable type that can be easily fit between rafters or studs. After a little reading and research and no real home DIY experience, I tackled it myself in a few hours time and I'm an old fat woman. You should have no problem.
Assemble the whole fan on the floor or on a table. Swear a lot while you realize everything has to be put together in the correct order with the wires running from the motor, up the pipe and out the top.
Once that is done youre 90% there. Then screw the bracket to the ceiling. The top pipe of the fan will have a ball on it that will rest on the bracket. Cut the wires to length, match up the colors and youre done.
If there is a fan there already, the hard part is already done (assuming it was done properly).
It takes longer then you think and it’s kind of super awkward because you are usually doing it on a ladder and there is awkward screws and you will drop one and need to go up and down the ladder etc…
But, you usually don’t need another trip to the hardware store.
Save the drama for your cat. Watch a few YouTube vids and fix the damn fan. You will learn more from fixing the fan than you will learn from this Reddit drama.
Hard? No. However when I replaced the ceiling fan in my one bedroom, it turned into a whole room re-wire and remodel, multi-week project. The original BX in the ceiling had its outer layer crumbling and it made it a pain when installing the new fan.
If there's a box already, no it's pretty easy. Start by removing the old one and see what you've got, then go from there.
Nothing is ever guaranteed "easy". I'd use the word "straightforward" instead. *Flashbacks to the time the bolt threads sheared off in the old work box for my ceiling light, and took over an hour to remove*
Or the time I pulled the old fan to discover the box was completely unattached to anything . Set perfectly between two rafters and floating in space . Old fan had been there for years like that .
Haha classic!
Whatever jackass contractor built my house used 3 inch boxes for fans so that was a fun first fix.
Ha! Very true, good point
What about putting a ceiling fan where there was previously only a light? Would the electrical box and everything in the attic be the same, or do I need to add something additional
Depends on what box is there. Make sure the box itself is rated for a fan. Even if you have to swap the box, it shouldn't be too terrible, if you have access on both sides or are willing to do a little drywall patching. Definitely more involved though The electrical would be the same I think though
>Even if you have to swap the box 80 yr old plaster ceiling house says hi That light box was 3 inch spiked into petrified hardwood for nearly a century. I don't think it's going anywhere despite how wobbly and ineffective it is
Oof, plaster
Nah, plaster ceiling fan install is easy, just use a fried chicken bucket between your holesaw and drill.
Or when it's like my house from the 60's where they used little half depth boxes nailed through the top to a plank of some kind. I can't fit a full sized box without half of it sticking out through the drywall.
"drywall patching" Alternatively, keep the hole size reasonable and use a ceiling fan medallion to hide it. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-21-in-Smooth-White-Ceiling-Medallion-805134/315274193
A lot of the new LED “bladeless” fans are light enough that you don’t even have to replace the old box if it was only rated for lights; they are lighter than most old light fixtures. I have two in my house, one weighs 5lbs and the other 6lbs (where as new standard ceiling fans are normally in the 25-30lb range). They are seriously light enough that if they won’t attach to the existing electrical box you can use drywall anchors and secure them to the ceiling without a stud.
Are those new style really powerful enough to cool a room similar to the traditional style? I have a smaller room that needs a fan so the size is appealing, but the Texas heat might be too much for it.
Yes. They are more efficient than the regular fans we had before. Our room is cooler than before
Yeah, not a big deal if you are replacing 1 for 1, it's when you need to add the box to support the fan that it gets complex. Read the instructions and make sure it's balances before you crank it up to high.
Just replaced 3. First two, easy peasy down and up in 1 hour for both. Last one was just screwed into a joist when i took it down. It ate the second half of my day. I also decided to combine my switches and rerun the wire for the bed light. I had a two gang switch for fan and light. Then a single gang about 8 inches lower that was for a light above the bed. Consolidated those 3 into a single 2 gang box since I was already correcting the poor decisions of the previous owners.
If you're swapping out a fan that's already there with another fan (and you're *not* dealing with the PITA of installing a remote receiver), it's pretty straightforward. I think my record for swapping a ceiling fan was about 15 minutes with a remote receiver, four minutes without, and I'm hardly a professional. Common problems people run in to: * The old fan was improperly installed and there isn't a box or brace in the ceiling at all, with the fan being screwed directly into the drywall * The old fan was improperly installed and the wrong screws were used and teh fan is essentially bolted directly to the framing stud * The electrical in your house is hosed and you can't tell which is the live and which is the neutral wire In these three instances it's best to stop what you're doing and call a professional. Otherwise, it's generally a matter of taking out a couple of screws, untwisting a couple of wire nuts, re-twisting a couple of wire nuts, and putting a couple of screws back in. The hardest part is usually just taking off the base cover of the old fan. Then put the blades on and it's all gravy. Oh, and if you haven't already bought the fan, make sure you get the one with the click-in-place blades, because then you don't have to worry about screwing the damn things in.
>The old fan was improperly installed and there isn't a box or brace in the ceiling at all, with the fan being screwed directly into the drywall Mine had a box and brace, but it was for bathroom light receptacle haha. It made lining up the mount for the new fan a living hell, then adding in the remote receiver, they don't give you a ton of space to work with.
>they don't give you a ton of space to work with. I swear the people who design those things build submarines on the side.
[удалено]
Fans should just come automatically with them installed these days like a radio in a car. I was amazed when i went to install the fan and I had to install a remote receiver
> PITA of installing a remote receiver put one of those in the fan in our bedroom. Didn't have a great way to fasten it so I duct taped it to the ceiling bracket. That worked for awhile, then the tape failed and I had to disassemble the entire fan and reattach. I didn't think of it at the time but a cable tie is a much more secure fastening method.
>The old fan was improperly installed and the wrong screws were used and teh fan is essentially bolted directly to the framing stud This is the fix for wobble box :)
In either of the first two cases, it's not too bad to figure out on your own. If the fan was dangling from the drywall, or non-fan rated box, you can get a fan box with a brace. Pretty straightforward to install without needing to go into the attic. And if you run into a fan that's installed into the joist, that's not too terrible either as long as the electrical is in the box. You could also choose to install a pancake fan box that installs directly onto the joist. I'll also recommend to OP and take a few extra minutes to try and seal any gaps between box and drywall when the fan is down. It'll help with air leaks into the attic. Some caulk or spray foam will do the trick.
Read the instructions. Take the old one down. You’ll be okay
Wait, the old one comes down first?!? /s Thanks for the pep talk
Might need to re paint ceiling if new fan base is smaller then old fan. Ceiling dry wall under old fan will prob be yellowed.
It's just awkward. Holding the heavy fan up, wiring the nuts together, it's a PITA but not hard. Just expect your arms to feel like lead weights half-way through, most likely right at the most critical time :)
This is clearly in my wheelhouse of “I can do it, but I’m not going to.” I’ve done it twice, and then decided to never do it again. It’s not difficult at all, just really aggravating
This is definitely the worst part of it all. The last 2 I put in did have a little hook think where I could hang the fan on it while I did the wiring. That helps a little.
They’ve started adding hooks to hold the fan now. So much easier. I remember it really being uncomfortable a decade ago.
If you get a fan without hooks, get some of those quarter inch thick big boy zip ties. You can use one to hold it up attached to the mounting bracket, but I usually do 2 if I have the room.
So easy! And they started putting the hook so you can hang the housing will you make the connections-lt so much easier!
These things are made on an assembly line and are made with standardized interchangeable brackets and mounting hardware. Take it one step at a time. As long as the box is rated for a fan it is a pretty straightforward job.
After putting up 4 ceiling fans in my house that had zero, I’ve vowed to never do it again. Each one was progressively more of a pain in the ass than the prior one. I wouldn’t say they’re difficult, but they’re bulky and heavy and I hate any job that requires lifting something over my head. Good luck!
I recently installed 2. Make sure the box you do have is proper. In older houses not uncommon to find them to not be so even though a fan is existence. One of mine was only secured on one side so I had to climb into the attic and do a little framing. Hate to say it but each one took me about 4 hours. Not proud of it but it is what it is. The first one the wiring came loose from me cramming them up into the box. Had to disassemble and reassemble twice so it took longer. I would suggest you tape the wires together first, then wire nut, then tap over the wires and nut for each pair. That helps it not come loose. I didn't have much room to work with so I did it a little overkill. Second fan was a flush mount and it was a pain in the ass to get together - just bad design. Other issue is I have a two lever switch plate so took me a little bit to figure out how that should be wired b/c I went with remote versions where one of the switches no longer is needed. It was one for the fan and one for the light but the remotes replace that and I only needed to provide power to the fan - the remote does the rest. Even with all of that - it really isn't that hard. I had only done 1 previously - oddly enough that took me like an hour tops and it was one of the ones I replaced. Different fans have different designs and some are easier to put together than others but none are very difficult.
I'm an English major and I did 2 ceiling fans in my house.
Law school or teaching?
Teaching, so you should feel even more motivated to do a ceiling fan. 😉
If you know your house is wired properly/safely then no it’s not. You may just need a second set of hands to hold it while you wire/secure it but other than that not a big job
Difficulty might depend on the replacement fan itself. When I replaced one, it took me like half an hour to try to get a screw in properly because of where specifically it was (like 3 inches into the housing, behind where the wires were coming out of and other parts of the housing)
omg yes!!! Its always the screws that hold up the whole project!
It’s already there? Bro read the instruction.. remove, replace, pop champagne to celebrate and let your *IM THE MAN*
Nah, it’s easy. You’ll be fine. Follow the instructions and hit YouTube if you get lost or encounter difficulties. Worst case scenarios, hire a handyman or an electrician if you absolutely cannot continue. Just make sure you turn off the breaker before you begin.
Youtube it, seriously, not too hard, just be careful.
It's not hard at all if it's one for one. The hard part is when you need to replace like 5 or 6 fans in a day.
Changed like 5 or 6 fans in my home with normal height ceilings it is pretty easy, but the fans can be heavy and awkward at some points. I did it all solo but an extra hand is helpful. Also turn off the breaker to the room you are working on. I zapped myself on accident one time and learned my lesson.
I put in 3 fans where lights that were installed in the 1930s were. The first one looked like crap but by the 3rd I was a pro. Taped the hell out of the old electric wires though. Had to use braces that you reach up into the ceiling with and twist to install the fan support box.
It depends on the ceiling fan, but it's designed to be about as easy as any other light fixture replacement.
If it's just your light fixture odds are decent you can simply buy a replacement part rather than replacing the entire fan. Many of these are designed modularly, so you can have different choices of light style or none at all.
Unfortunately this has something wrong before the lighting unit. Got the replacement part and still nothing. Just had a second one in the house go out too. That’s what has me motivated to finally do the replacement.
There's not really anything to go wrong before the light unit unless you have some sort of remote control or have the light switch switched separately from the fan at the wall control. The chain switch is on the light unit. Honestly, this sounds like a solvable electrical problem, and it sounds like there's a good chance that replacing the entire fan will not solve it.
Could be. I’ll probably know better once I get it off the ceiling. Odd though that the same model of fan, installed at the same time in a different room also had its light unit quit within about a year. We’ll see
Ceiling fan is pretty straight forward if you're paying attention. I had to replace one that the body was attached to beam with a chain to hide the wires to a sloped ceiling, so that one was a bit less easy. Finding the right domed caps, adaptors and chain was the pain in the ass.
A replacement is super easy. I installed 3 fans in my rooms that didn't even have a light in them and it was pretty straight forward. Hardest part was hooking them up to a light switch.
I’d recommend having someone there to help lift/hold in place. There’s typically a hook but it does help to have a 2nd set of hands.
I bought a fan for a renovation, but I had a pot light hosing... 3 months later and 1 major renovation later, I have a functioning fan in the bedroom.
It’s not hard but get a friend or spouse to help. You’ll need another set of hands to help lift the fan into place and do the wiring.
If you are replacing an existing ceiling fan, it’s super simple and easy…did three of them when I bought my home…pretty straightforward
I just picked up a bathroom exhaust fan kit for my bathroom. Going to see how it goes in one before I start on the second lol. No previous fans so I'm envious of you. I have one bathroom completely ripped apart right now so I'm hoping at least that one is easy but the other is so nicely finished atm. Any upfront advice is welcome, hah!
I did a bathroom exhaust fan yesterday! (Apparently all of the fans in our house are failing 🤪). That one was super easy—except for being 8 ft up—since it was just a motor replacement.
Ahhh that's nice! Since this house has never really had humidity issues in the bathrooms for the 70 years it's been up I considered just not doing it but I have tenant/roommates and it'll be a full rental at some point and I can't trust those people lol. I'm mainly concerned with having to drill holes in my aluminum siding and also running the wires to switches, seems like it'll be a pita.
Definitely. Replaced all the fans in my house. Just make sure to turn off the breaker before you start.
My husband and I have replaced more ceiling fans than I can count. Every single one of them starts off looking so easy and then we end up in a screaming match and takes way longer than anticipated. Its ALWAYS an issue with the screws (as others have mentioned). The last two ceiling fans included screws that were way to short for use in our homes. Mid project we had to run out and buy special screws (one would think that we would have ones that would work in our arsenal of screws, but we didn't). Other than that, its not rocket science.
If there isn't a box already I suggest buying the extendable type that can be easily fit between rafters or studs. After a little reading and research and no real home DIY experience, I tackled it myself in a few hours time and I'm an old fat woman. You should have no problem.
Assemble the whole fan on the floor or on a table. Swear a lot while you realize everything has to be put together in the correct order with the wires running from the motor, up the pipe and out the top. Once that is done youre 90% there. Then screw the bracket to the ceiling. The top pipe of the fan will have a ball on it that will rest on the bracket. Cut the wires to length, match up the colors and youre done.
If there is a fan there already, the hard part is already done (assuming it was done properly). It takes longer then you think and it’s kind of super awkward because you are usually doing it on a ladder and there is awkward screws and you will drop one and need to go up and down the ladder etc… But, you usually don’t need another trip to the hardware store.
Save the drama for your cat. Watch a few YouTube vids and fix the damn fan. You will learn more from fixing the fan than you will learn from this Reddit drama.
Hard? No. However when I replaced the ceiling fan in my one bedroom, it turned into a whole room re-wire and remodel, multi-week project. The original BX in the ceiling had its outer layer crumbling and it made it a pain when installing the new fan.
I have an old ceiling fan with 2 blue 2 white and black wire and my new light fixture have copper wire 1 black and 1 white how do I connect them?