Ceiling fans are significantly heavier than the average light fixture. This is due to their motors and controls as well as different wiring, fan blades, and other parts. They can’t hang from a simple light fixture bracket, as they’re too heavy and vibrate during use. When a homeowner faced this issue during a ceiling fan upgrade project, master electrician Heath Eastman knew just what to do.
Steps for to Replacing a Ceiling Fan
- Start by shutting off the breaker to the light fixture and the switch controlling it for extra safety.
- Carefully remove the light bulbs and then the light globes. The gloves might require a screwdriver. Remove the fan blades, as well.
- Disassemble the light fixture, removing the light unit and exposing the wiring. Check the wires for power with a pen tester to ensure they’re not energized.
- Disconnect the black wires first, then the white wires, and then the ground wires. Once disconnected, lift the fan unit off the bracket and remove the bracket.
- Gain access to the light unit from the attic if possible. Investigate the existing hardware. If it isn’t a beefy fan box bracket, replace it with a fan box. If the box is too close to the joist for a fan box bracket, cut and install a 2×6 between the joists to provide the support.
- Remove a knockout in the new electrical box and insert a wire knockout bushing. Attach the new electrical box to the fan box or 2×6.
- Attach the fan mount to the electrical box. Hang the new fan unit from the hook in the kit and reconnect the wires. Connect the ground wires first, then the white wires, and finally the black wires. Use wire nuts for the connections.
- Finish installing the fan unit and then the fan blades. Finally, install the light unit and any covers that need to be installed.
- Flip the breaker back on.
Pro Tip: You can’t just hang a ceiling fan from an existing light fixture electrical box. As noted in This Old House Magazine, the standard box is simply not strong enough to support the added weight and vibration of a fan. You must either use a specially rated hanger and box to mount the fan between joists or secure a fan-rated box directly to a joist.
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After shutting the power off to the ceiling fan, disassemble the fan and blades with a screwdriver. Disconnect the wires from the fan—the hot, the neutral, and the ground. From the attic, while wearing gloves, pull back any insulation over the joist bay.
Pro Tip: After shutting off the circuit breaker, flip the light switch in the room on and then off again to confirm the power is truly off. Then, before touching any wires, use an electrical tester to double-check that there is no current running to the fixture.
Using a hammer and a pry bar remove the bar box. You may need to use a drill driver depending on how secure it is.
To install the replacement ceiling fan, slide the fan box into place from below. Pull the NM cable through the opening in the fan box. Hand tighten the bars until the arms of the fan box are firmly secured to the joists. Using screws and a screwdriver wire the new fan and secure it to the fan box. Assemble new fan blades.
Pro Tip: As This Old House expert Heath explains, a standard electrical box is “perfectly fine for a light fixture” but “not sufficient to hold the weight of a fan.” A fan-rated brace bar is “much beefier”—”the bar is bigger…the box is beefier. Where the screws attach is bigger, the screws are bigger. It’s all designed to hold the weight and the vibration of a fan.”
