Fan Appreciation

By: Joseph Truini (Page 1 of 2)

photo: Smith-Baer

photos: Smith-Baer

1. DISCONNECT the old light fixture by twisting off its wire connectors. Be sure the electricity is shut off before you start work

photos: Smith-Baer

2. Install a 2 X 6 support brace between the joists over the electrical box. Fasten the brace to the joists with 3-in. screws

securing the fan's ceiling plate with lag screws

photos: Smith-Baer

3. Secure the fan's ceiling plate with two lag screws driven through the plate and electrical box and into the 2 X 6 support brace.

brass-plated canopy and ceiling fan motor

photos: Smith-Baer

4. Grab the six wire leads from the fan motor and pass them through the brass-plated canopy and the threaded pipe nipple.

photos: Smith-Baer

5. Slip the receiver for the remote control into the canopy. Then join the matching-color pairs of wires with twist-on connectors.

photos: Smith-Baer

6. Thread the white antenna wire through the ceiling plate. Let it hang out to receive the transmitter signal from the remote control.

photos: Smith-Baer

7. Insert the wooden fan blades through the rotating ring (also called the belly band), which is located below the motor housing.

photos: Smith-Baer

8. Snap together the quick-connect fitting that delivers power to the lightbulbs. Then screw the fixture in place.

photos: Smith-Baer

9. Pick a convenient spot on the wall for the remote holder. Then fasten the plastic holder with the two 2-in.-long screws provided.

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How to Install a Ceiling Fan

Replace a simple overhead light fixture with a ceiling fan that has its own light

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Easy Upgrades That Say Welcome Home

Lighted ceiling fans offer a lot of bang for the buck. Their gentle, cooling breezes can transform a room that feels like a jail cell on a muggy tropical isle into paradise. What's more, they're easy to install. Replacing an overhead light fixture with a fan should take less than a day.

A ceiling fan can also slash energy consumption and save you money throughout the year. By blowing air downward in warm weather, the fan allows you to turn up the thermostat on your air conditioner and cut cooling bills as much as 35 percent, according to U.S. Department of Energy studies.

Reversing the fan motor during the heating season blows air upward and forces trapped heat down from the ceiling. The result is that you can lower the thermostat and trim your heating bill up to 10 percent. That's a significant benefit considering this winter's dramatic rise in fuel costs.

CHOOSING A FAN
Ceiling fans come in dozens of styles, with or without lights, in various painted and polished-metal surfaces. While prices vary widely, you usually get what you pay for. Bargain-priced fans usually are no bargain; they can be noisy, wobbly contraptions that last about as long as a freshly cut rose. Expect to pay $150 to $250 for a good-quality fan with a light.

Before buying one, match fan size to room size. Choose a 32-in.-dia. unit for rooms up to 64 sq. ft. Move up to a 42-in. fan for spaces up to 144 sq. ft., a 44-in. model for a 225-sq.-ft. room and a 52-in. device for rooms 400 sq. ft. or larger. We chose Hunter Fan's Integra Plus (Model 25884, $299). The 52-in., five-blade fan has a three-speed reversible motor, wireless remote-control switch and built-in light. It also features a bright-brass finish and switchable hardwood-veneer blades (rosewood on one side, oak on the other) and is backed by a 20-year warranty.

The step-by-step installation covered here, which replaces an existing light fixture, is similar to that for other fans. But be sure to read the instructions that come with the model you buy.