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The ceiling fan is one of the most necessary pieces of furniture in most of our homes, and we pay special attention to choosing one that will complement the interior of our room. But what if the fan stops working properly and makes a noise that will cause us sleepless nights? Repairing a noisy ceiling fan is not as complicated a job as it is, and anyone who knows the basics can repair the fan effectively. Let’s learn how to fix a noisy ceiling fan.
Causes of Noisy Ceiling Fans
Different ceiling fan problems cause different types of noise, so it’s important to identify exactly what is producing the unpleasant noises from your ceiling fan so that you can correctly resolve the issue?
Dimmers
If you hear a hum, you experience the most common ceiling fan noise. The hum may not be too noticeable during the day, but if you turn on the ceiling fan while trying to sleep at night, it can be very obvious and very annoying. One of the most common causes of ceiling fan buzzing is dimmers to control fan speed.
Dimmers have never been designed for use with ceiling fans. You will hear a buzzing sound because this is not the proper way to set the fan speed.
The dimmer should be replaced by standard speed control.
Remote Control
Bad receivers are another option if you are using a fan that uses a remote control. A bad receiver will not receive a good strong signal from the remote control, resulting in a buzzer. The problem can be solved by removing the receiver. Instead, you can connect the fan directly to a power source. You’ll know it was a problem if the buzzing stopped.
Capacitors
If removing the receiver does not solve the hum problem, bad capacitors may cause the problem. To resolve this issue, you will need to replace the switch and capacitors. Your fan will usually also has a low voltage problem if this is a problem.
Low voltage can cause motor problems. Voltage levels less than 105 volts A / C may cause fan noise. Sometimes, if multiple fans are in the circuit, this may cause noise. This is often the case with older homes, where many rooms are on the same circuit.
Released Screws
If you’re ceiling fan clicks, loose screws may be a problem. If the screws that connect the ceiling fan blades to the motor are loose, you can tighten them. Loose screws in the ceiling fan blades can be dangerous to your family.
If the ceiling fan blade becomes loose, it may damage your home or injure people in your house. You should also check that the screws inside the motor cover are not loose. Ensure that all screws should be tight, but not extremely.
Wire connectors can also cause a click inside the switch cover. When the main power is off, you can check that all the wire connectors are secure and do not cause rattling by moving against each other or inside the switch cover.
Assembly
Noise may occur when the fans are mounted directly in the ceiling beams. If the fan hangs on the ceiling beam, the regular sounds of the fan will be amplified through the beam, causing a louder noise. Approved curtains should be used to minimize this noise.
An approved ceiling fan bracket will be mounted between the ceiling beams. This will help insulate the fan so that the noise will not be amplified. Engine sounds will not spread easily to the ceiling to create amplified sounds.
How to Fix a Noisy Ceiling Fan
Before you try to find out the reason for your noisy ceiling fan, it’s a good idea to check if the noise is temporary or if it needs to be repaired. Please turn off the fan and leave it off for a day before turning it back on.
Follow the steps below to find out the exact cause of the creaking from the ceiling fan.
Pay attention to the setup.
The first thing you need to check is a faulty installation. Note that in most cases, the cause of the constant squeaking is nothing but the incorrect installation of the ceiling fan. Check that there are no gaps between the fan base and the ceiling or that the fan is hanging.
Also, check that the motor wiring is properly installed, any loose connections between the bar and the fan body, or that all screws are tightened; refer to the manual for ceiling fan installation instructions, and then reinstall the fan.
Make sure the fittings aren’t loose.
Once you have checked the installation of the ceiling fan (and you will not find any problems with it), the next logical step is to check the screws and nuts on the fan blades.
You need to check the screws that secure the blades to the main body of the fan because a single loose screw can cause the blades to misalign, resulting in the continuous noise you hear. Follow the steps below if you see any loose nuts or bolts.
- Using a screwdriver, secure the bolts and tighten them. Take the liberty of checking the screws on each four or five fan blades.
- Apply oil to the screws once tightened to ensure smooth movement.
- Now set the fan speed control to the highest speed and check for sounds. If you are lucky, you will find that the sounds are gone.
Figure out how far you are from the ceiling.
Sometimes, the distance between the individual blades and the ceiling may change if one or more blades have moved slightly.
To find out, take a meter and measure the distance between the tip of each blade and the ceiling. If you find that the tip of one blade is higher or lower than the others, gently bend the blade with your hands so that it rests in the same horizontal plane as the other blades.
In addition, measure the distance between the individual blades and their bases. It would help if you did this to ensure the angle between each blade is the same.
Balance the blades
If you have followed all the above steps diligently, but nothing seems to be working, then balancing the fan blades will probably solve your problem for good! The easiest way to achieve this is to obtain a commercially available balancing kit consisting of adhesive weights. Here’s how to use the balancing kit.
- Please turn on the fan and let it run at different speeds to determine the maximum noise speed. When you’re done, turn off the fan.
- Take the loaded clip, attach it to the tip of any blade and turn on the fan again. See if you still hear a noise. Turn off the fan and attach the weight to the next blade. Proceed with each blade until you notice a significant noise reduction.
- As soon as you find a defective blade, continue to move the loaded clip towards the base of the blade, step by step; each time, turn on the fan to test in which position of the clip the noise is minimal.
- Glue the weight and see if you hear a noise at this particular point. If you still hear a small sound, add more weights, and your fan will stop making noise. You can even use tape to stick pennies to the fan instead of sticky weights. The point was to fix the noisy ceiling fan yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my ceiling fan make so much noise?
The squeaking sound of the ceiling fan can be caused by unbalanced blades that cause the fan to wobble. Ceiling fan blades can be unbalanced by dust accumulation on the blades when the fan is not in use. Clean the blades by wiping them with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt that cause them to become unbalanced.
Can you use WD 40 for the ceiling fan?
Never spray WD40 on the ceiling fan motor; it is not an oil-based lubricant. It can damage the engine instead of releasing jammed or rusted parts. Never spray WD40 on the ceiling fan motor; it is not an oil-based lubricant. It can damage the engine instead of releasing jammed or rusted parts.
How do lubricate the ceiling fan without removing it?
Turn off the power, remove the cover (usually the screws on the sides or underside), unscrew the blade holder assembly (this will require a screwdriver), then pour or spread oil on the exposed motor shaft. Then reassemble the fan.
Should ceiling fans be lubricated?
Like any machine with moving parts, ceiling fans need proper lubrication to work properly. Some newer fan models are self-lubricating and do not require much maintenance on your part.
What oil do you put in the ceiling fan?
Use 10, 15, or 20 parts by weight of non-detergent engine oil to lubricate the fan. It is important to avoid cleaning agents that can contaminate the bearings. Do not rely on penetrating oils such as 3 in 1 oil. They are great for loosening jammed screws but are not heavy enough to lubricate the fan.
Conclusion
Most ceiling fans start to make noise because something has come loose. If this is not a problem, then the problem with engine balancing or lubrication is probably to blame. Fortunately, you can fix most of these problems quickly without professional intervention. Hope you have learned how to fix a noisy ceiling fan.
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