Installing a ceiling fan is a great addition to any room of your home, but if you’re not sure how to take down a ceiling fan safely, you could find yourself in a world of pain. Removing a ceiling and safely will help you avoid breaking the fan, the electrical circuits, or hurting yourself.
Ceiling fans are incredibly strong pieces of engineering, but they can be hazardous when improperly installed or when people aren’t paying enough attention to their installation. This is because fans are made of many parts, and these parts are often bulky or heavy. The blades can be sharp and the motors hot when running.
If you’ve never installed a ceiling fan before, it’s probably best that you pay a professional to install it as it needs to be connected to central circuitry. If you’re unsure how to take down a ceiling fan safely, contact a professional.
Before you start removing the fan from its mounting bracket, you must gather some household tools and have a plan of action. Which tools will depend upon the kind of mounting system that the fan has, and even if it has light fixtures built into it, some extra tools may be needed.
What is needed to take down a fan
As a general rule of thumb, you’ll need these tools: A ladder. A level. Two people. And a screwdriver.
Start by removing the motor housing.
Next, unscrew the wing nuts holding the fan to the mounting bracket. Use a ladder to remove the three-pronged screws that attach the blade and blades to the shaft. If you have an extension ladder, this should also work.
If you have ceiling fans with molds, remove all of them. Some people mistakenly believe that removing these molds is dangerous, but the fact is, mold damage is typically fairly easy to repair. Once you’ve successfully removed all the molds, unscrew all of the wing nuts and set aside the black (or white) plastic shavings. Use a level to ensure that the shaft is even.
Next, take a look at the electrical box under the ceiling fan. Most manufacturers place these in the middle of the unit, so you’ll want to look for the screws or metal clips that attach the wires. If you can’t see any wires, then these probably won’t pose a safety problem. However, double check before doing this step.
Once you’ve reconnected all the wires, remove the mounting bracket and attach the fan body to the mounting bolt. Use the step ladder to take off the motor housing. Once you’ve disconnected the wiring from the wall, remove the blade. Finally, remove the mounting bracket and attach the blades to the shafts as necessary.
This approach is safe and efficient. Another strategy is to remove each blade first. This depends on the number of blades and the type of fan. Either way, if you are methodical and have the tools and support to remove the fan, you will be organized to execute effectively with this task.
