Remove Your Existing Light Fixture
Before you remove the light fixture that you plan to replace with a ceiling fan, make sure the power to the circuit is cut. Do this at the breaker box and test the wiring in the room with a circuit tester.
Removing an old light fixture is pretty simple. Just remove the mounting nut in the center of the fixture — you may have to pull off the glass globe covering the bulbs in order to expose it. There may be other screws or nuts holding the fixture to the electrical box. Remove those too, and pull the light fixture away from the ceiling to expose the wiring. Remove the plastic wire connectors and disconnect the wiring. Set the light fixture aside. Pry the electrical box off the joist and set it aside.
Install Your New Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans can be heavy — the biggest ones are 60 inches or more across and can weigh more than 50 lbs. So your new ceiling fan needs to be mounted on a sturdy support brace.
If you can access the ceiling joists from above, you can make a support brace out of a piece of 2×4 lumber cut to fit between the joists on either side of the hole in your ceiling. Screw it to the joists on either side with decking screws, and if you have a heavy fan, you can add L-brackets for extra support.
If you can’t access the ceiling joists from above, you can use an expanding metal bracket that you can insert through the hole and ratchet open between the joists. If the ceiling joist is located directly above the hole for the wiring, you can fasten your fan-rated pancake electrical box directly to the joist. Otherwise, attach your fan-rated electrical box to the support brace, and fasten the fan mounting bracket to the electrical box.
Pull the wires out of your ceiling and through the electrical box and mounting bracket. If you’re using an extension rod, tape the wires together lightly and feed them through the extension rod.
Most fan mounting brackets have an installation hook on them where you can rest the fan motor assembly while you wire it up. You may need to use a wire cutter and stripper to trim the frayed ends of the wire and strip them so an inch or so at the end is exposed. Connect the black wire in the fan to the black wire coming out of the ceiling, and secure with a wire nut. Connect the white wire coming out of the fan motor to the white wire coming out of the ceiling, and secure with a wire nut. Connect the bare or green ground wire from the house to the one feeding into the fan, and connect both to the ground screw in the electrical box. Finish mounting the fan motor assembly to the mounting bracket or extension rod, using the manufacturer’s instructions.
If the fan has a light fixture, you can wire that up the same way. Attach the fan blades, screwing them down tightly and securely. Add the light cover.
Enjoy It
A ceiling fan can lower the temperature in your room by as much as five degrees in the summer, so it’s a great alternative when you’re trying to cut cooling costs or even when it’s still a little too hot in the bedroom at night. In the winter, reverse the direction on your ceiling fan to push down warm air from the ceiling, especially if you have a fireplace or woodstove.
If you want to lower your heating and cooling costs without sacrificing comfort, you need a ceiling fan. These days, you can choose from many stylish designs, and if you already have a light fixture in place, all you have to do is swap out one for the other.
