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A wobbly ceiling fan can seem louder than a jackhammer and more annoying, because it's right there in the room with you. But you don't have to put up with it. Read on to find out how to quickly and efficiently realign your wobbly ceiling fan.
Steps
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Check the fan blades for dust and build-up. It's easy to skip dusting the fan blades when you're cleaning the house, so over the course of a few months, or even years, a large amount of dust will accumulate the weight of which can misalign the blades, causing them to wobble. With the fan turned off and the blades still, clean any excess build-up off the top, sides, and bottom of the fan blades with your a household cleaner.
- Turn the fan back on and check for wobble. If it continues, one of the blades is probably out of alignment.
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Check to make sure all the blades are screwed in tightly. [1] X Expert Source Daniel Stoescu
Master Electrician Expert Interview. 21 June 2021. Look at the fan's flywheel, which is the part attached to the ceiling, and find the point at which the blade attaches to the mechanism. With a screwdriver, tighten any screws that seem to be loose. [2] X Expert Source Kevin Turner
Commercial Handyman Expert Interview. 15 July 2019.- Alternatively, at this point you can unscrew the fan blades and clean them further. Dust can build up in the gaps in between the blades and the flywheel, causing misalignment after a while. If any of them are loose, unscrew them, remove them, and clean the blades before replacing them securely.
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Measure the blade alignment. With a ruler or yardstick, measure the distance between the end of each blade (the point farthest from the flywheel, the furthest point to the right of the blade in the image, NOT where the arrow is located) and the ceiling. Do this for each blade. [3] X Research source
- If any of the distances are slightly higher than the others, try bending it up or down gently at the blade holder. Be careful not to snap or jostle anything that attaches to the flywheel. Just use a little bit of pressure to align the blade.
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Weight the blades with a balancing clip. For a dollar or two, you can get a blade balancing kit at most home improvement stores. It should come with a U-shaped clip and some small self-adhering weights. You might end up getting more than one if you've got a significant wobble, but it probably won't be necessary.
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Place the clip in the center of the blade. Clip the provided U-clip from the kit in the center of any of the blades, and watch to see if the wobble decreases when you turn the fan back on. Turn the fan off and move the clip to the same position on another blade. Check to see which blade is most affected by the presence of the clip by decreasing the wobble. This is the blade that you need to weight.
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Determine the best placement of the weight. Starting in the center, move the clip out toward the end of the blade and turn the fan back on to check for wobble. Move the fan in increments of a few inches up and down the blade to determine which placement most deters the wobble of the blade. [4] X Expert Source Kevin Turner
Commercial Handyman Expert Interview. 15 July 2019. -
Weight the fan. Once you find the problem spot, remove the clip and replace the plastic clip with a stick-on weight provided in the kit. You'll want to place the weight on top of the fan. It should have a peel-off self-adhesive surface on which you fix it.
- If the fan still has some wobble in it, you can add another weight to the same blade. If the wobble gets worse, remove the weight and use the clip to find a more suitable location.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhy is my ceiling fan wobbly?Kevin Turner is a handyman and the owner of Red Gator Maintenance, a handyman business based in Fresno, California. Working on handyman-related projects since the age of 12, Kevin specializes in a wide variety of home improvement projects such as (but not limited to) lighting/electrical, plumbing, deck staining, drywall repairs, cabinet installation, air conditioning, trash removal, and window, roof, and appliance repairs.Ceiling fans usually wobble if they aren't mounted or installed correctly. So that would be the first thing I'd recommend checking. Get a ladder and inspect all the screws and bolts and everything to make sure the fan is secured.
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QuestionHow do you add weight to a fan?Kevin Turner is a handyman and the owner of Red Gator Maintenance, a handyman business based in Fresno, California. Working on handyman-related projects since the age of 12, Kevin specializes in a wide variety of home improvement projects such as (but not limited to) lighting/electrical, plumbing, deck staining, drywall repairs, cabinet installation, air conditioning, trash removal, and window, roof, and appliance repairs.It's kind of hard to describe without showing it, but there are these weights you put on the blades to counterbalance an uneven distribution of weight. You literally just attach them to the top of the fan blades.
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QuestionWhy won't my fan turn on? It was wobbling before, so was that a sign of the problem?Kevin Turner is a handyman and the owner of Red Gator Maintenance, a handyman business based in Fresno, California. Working on handyman-related projects since the age of 12, Kevin specializes in a wide variety of home improvement projects such as (but not limited to) lighting/electrical, plumbing, deck staining, drywall repairs, cabinet installation, air conditioning, trash removal, and window, roof, and appliance repairs.It's unlikely the wobbling was related. If the fan is super old, it could be a problem with a motor. If your fan isn't ancient though, it's almost certainly going to be the chord. People tend to pull the chord too hard and that breaks the switch that it's connected to.
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Tips
- Cheaper fans or older fans usually made to wobble. If you need to replace the fan, make sure the parts are solid to ensure that your fan won't wobble next time.Thanks
- Most fans on long rods are made to wobble. Try switching to a shorter one when possible.Thanks
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Warnings
- Be careful when you're on the ladder and don't try to do anything with the fan in motion. [5] X Expert Source Daniel Stoescu
Master Electrician Expert Interview. 21 June 2021.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Stepladder
- Fan blade balancing kit
References
- ↑ Daniel Stoescu. Master Electrician. Expert Interview. 21 June 2021.
- ↑ Kevin Turner. Commercial Handyman. Expert Interview. 15 July 2019.
- ↑ http://www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/how-to-balance-a-ceiling-fan/view-all
- ↑ Kevin Turner. Commercial Handyman. Expert Interview. 15 July 2019.
- ↑ Daniel Stoescu. Master Electrician. Expert Interview. 21 June 2021.
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Reader Success Stories
- "I learned how to balance a fan, but I also learned that it may be best to buy quality. Cheaper motors can make a hum at high speeds and cheaper blades can be plastic and feeble and not all the same, thus causing a wobble that balancing cannot fix, and a return of the fan. If you have paid an installer, this can be expensive to have them back. Thus my story goes on. I am purchasing a better fan and paying for installation again. The noise in a fan I love is a challenge, with no cure." ..." more
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"I learned how to balance a fan, but I also learned that it may be best to buy quality. Cheaper motors can make a hum at high speeds and cheaper blades can be plastic and feeble and not all the same, thus causing a wobble that balancing cannot fix, and a return of the fan. If you have paid an installer, this can be expensive to have them back. Thus my story goes on. I am purchasing a better fan and paying for installation again. The noise in a fan I love is a challenge, with no cure."
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"I found all the steps helpful. These tips are useful to the "do-it-yourselfer"; however, it may not always work. If something has you stumped, please call a professional."
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"Good step-by-step guide, even if your "ceiling fan balancing kit" is comprised of some coins and putty."
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