A ceiling fan might be an old source of airflow but is the most efficient to keep up with temperature in both summers and winters. Just like any other electrical equipment ceiling fans also require regular maintenance. The fans automatically start giving you the warning to clean the fan in the form of rattling and wobbling.
The continuous rattling and wobbling can lead to permanent damage to the other parts of the designer modern ceiling fan.
It’s quite risky for you if you are continuously ignoring the ceiling fan warnings as the overhead fan might fall. Sometimes, it is the loose fastener or unbalanced blade that causes the wobbling and rattling sound. Even if you are not choosing the right fan as per the ceiling height, blade length, and motor quality, the fan won’t work properly.
Dig in further to understand the requirements, causes, and solutions of a wobble ceiling fan.
4 reasons that your fan is not working properly
Ceiling fans are made of multiple parts and can wobble due to wear, tear or breakdown of any significant part. To expand your designer ceiling fan life, you must know about all the parts of the fan and the causes of a wobbly ceiling fan.
- Ceiling fan parts like fasteners, blades, mounting screws, blade arms and fan canopy are loose. Due to the force used to rotate the fan, different fan parts can loosen over time. The loose part not only causes the wobbling but also the unbalanced motion can cause some parts to lose in the first place. While troubleshooting a wobbling ceiling fan, if you find a loose part; it might be a symptom of the problem and not the entire cause.
- Bent or warped blade arms can result in unbalanced blades. You might not find anything mechanically wrong here, but it can be the reason for the fan wobbling. To fix the wobble of modern ceiling fans, blade balancing needs to be done.
- Dirty blades are one of the primary reasons for the wobble and rattle of designer ceiling fans. Dirty blades with a lot of grease and dirt can also cause the rattling of ceiling fans due to the thick layer build of dirt and additional weight on the blade. It also unbalances the blade orientation.
The improper motor placement can be one of the reasons if ceiling fan blades are scrapped on the housing cover of the motor. This issue can be fixed by readjusting the motor housing cover, and screws and tightening of blade brackets.
- If there is a lack of lubrication in the internal parts of the fan leads to overheating during the operation of decorative fans. Some fans required frequent lubrication while purchasing a fan check with the manufacturer about the maintenance of the fan and which parts need to be oiled.
- The uneven position of the fan blades is one of the major reasons for wobbling. Be careful while installing a modern ceiling fan and check the position of all the fans. If the blades are not balanced the fan will not rotate at full speed.
How to Balance a Ceiling Fan?
To increase the lifespan of fancy ceiling fans one must focus on regular maintenance of the fan. To troubleshoot the problems like rattling and wobbling, begin with basic fixes. However, if you buy a fan from Fan Studio there will be minimum chances of problems like wobbling or rattling.
You can do basic fixes at home. If you are facing technical problems, call a professional fan technician to avoid any accidents.
Prerequisite to Balance a Ceiling Fan
Here is the prerequisite to begin with the fan cleaning and checking process to figure out the reason for the wobbling, rattling and wear-tear of the fan.
- Ladder to climb up
- Duster or old pillowcase
- Microfiber cloth towels for better cleaning
- Screwdriver set
- Measuring tape
- New fan blades for replacement
- New fan arms for replacement
- Balancing Kit of ceiling fan
Step-by-Step Procedure for Balancing a Ceiling Fan
Step 1 – Cleansing of Ceiling Fan
Fan blades are designed in such a way that they have even weight and positioning for the regular airflow with blades rotating at high speed. However, the thick layers of dust can result in an imbalance of the blades. To fix the problem, turn off the ceiling fan and wait to let the fan stop completely. Place a ladder to climb up and reach the blades.
If the blades are dirty, wipe off the dust with a duster or an old pillowcase. After whipping off the dust from a unique ceiling fan, use a wet microfiber cloth dipped in warm water to clean the blade arms, blades, and motor housing.
To remove the dust from narrow cracks and crevices use a cotton swab for deep cleaning. After drying the fan, turn it on and check whether it’s working well or not.
Step 2 – Check the Mount
If the first step didn’t work to resolve the problem, time to inspect the ceiling fan mount. Usually, improper installation is the common reason for wobbling. To inspect the fan mount and bracket fasteners, first, loosen the ceiling fan bracket. Check whether the electrical box is rated for decorative ceiling fans or not. If not, then it needs to be replaced. For this call, a professional electrician.
If it is rated for the ceiling fan, use a screwdriver to tighten the fasteners on the metal brace. After tightening the fasteners, wiggle the fan to double-check to ensure it doesn’t shift.
Step 3 – Fix Loose Fasteners
Time to check the other parts of the designer ceiling fan if there are any loose fasteners, blades, blade arms or any other part that can be responsible for the imbalance of the ceiling fan. Thoroughly inspect each part and tighten the fasteners with screwdrivers. Double-check the blades, blade arms and light fixtures before turning on the fan to check whether it is still wobbling or not.
Step 4 – Balance the Ceiling Fan Arms and Blades
The position of ceiling fan blades and arms is often underestimated while installing a fan. If all the blades are not even, the fan will rattle. To balance the blade’s position, take the measuring tape, and measure the vertical distance between the ceiling and the tip of the fan. The distance for each blade should be equal if it is not tightened by the mounting screw to adjust the motor housing.
Besides this, by bending the blade arms gently, you can fix the position of all the blades.
Don’t forget to inspect the fan blades and arms. If there is any sign of damage like cracking, bending or wrapping; you need to buy a replacement that matches the current fan model.
Step 5: Time for Fan Balancing Kit
After going through the above steps, if the fan is still wobbling and unbalanced, it is time to pick up a ceiling fan balance kit. These kits have a plastic kit with small weights and by using adhesive backing that can be attached directly to the blades. Test if the kit works, by attaching a plastic clip halfway of the blade length and then turning on the fan to check whether it is still wobbling.
You need to repeat the procedure for all the blades to check which blade is responsible for the fan wobbling. When you find out the problem blade, improve the imbalance by sliding the clip on the blade about an inch at a time. Test the fan at numerous positions and find out the best position where the fan doesn’t wobble and is stable.
Remove the clip to test the fan. Continue the process with each blade of a designer ceiling fan.
Things to Keep in Mind while Installing Fans to Avoid Such Problems
- While installing a fancy ceiling fan, people often forget to measure the size of the ceiling fan and how long blades can be installed in the space. Check the ceiling space and then only choose the blade size.
- Always check the voltage your ceiling fan needs. If the voltage is not proper it can lead to permanent damage to the motor.
- The common mistake done while installing a fan is not matching the position of each blade. If the distance of each blade to the ceiling is different from the other blade, it will lead to an imbalance of the fan.
- Ensure that the fan blades, fan arms and motor are not corroded as it can break the other parts of the fans too.
Conclusion
People often avoid the regular maintenance of ceiling fans which reduces the efficiency and life span of the fan. In the early stages, you can clean and check the fans by yourself. Ensure that you are regularly cleaning the modern ceiling fan, so it won’t lead to any permanent damage to the equipment. Besides all the maintenance and repair, always install premium quality ceiling fans for better efficiency and the life span of the fans.