How to Install a Ceiling Fan in Your Bedroom
First of all, you will have to determine what size fan you will need. They come in various blade lengths from 12 inches, to 52 inches. With the most popular being 48 to 52 inches depending upon the size of your room. For instance for a 9×9 bedroom, a 48 inch fan should be enough. If your room is larger than that, say 13 x14 or so, then choose the 52 inch variety. You can pick any different blade style from chili peppers to palm leaves, or you may want to stick to the traditional paddle blade. There are also a variety of colors to choose from, as well as metal styles. They come with and without light kits, and most can be adapted for a light kit. Pick one that suites your taste and lifestyle.
Tools required:
Cordless power screwdriver
Phillips head screwdriver
Wire Nuts
Pocket knife
Ladder
Flashlight
This is best done with a partner, someone to hand you things, and hold the flashlight.
Most bedrooms have a light fixture already in place. Many times these are functional but not very pretty. This is the perfect place to install your ceiling fan, because the wiring is already there and you wanted to get rid of that light fixture anyway.
Unbox the fan.
Lay out all the parts, and make sure that you have everything you are supposed to have. Most ceiling fan kits come with a motor unit, some fan blades and a light globe, plus a few screws and some mounting hardware. Double check that you have everything before beginning, you don’t want to get up on the ladder and discover you are missing an essential part.
Assemble the fan blades and light kit.
These come in two parts usually, and the two pieces need to be screwed together with the short big head screws provided. Be sure to attach them securely, you don’t want the blade to go flying off the first time you turn on the fan.
Attach the light kit to the motor assembly if it is not already there. Be sure to run the wires and connect them appropriately; black to black, white to white and green to green.
Set the fan assembly aside, and remove the old light fixture. Depending upon the age of your home this may be as simple as unscrewing a couple of screws or as hard as removing a long counterbalance rod from the attic. The one thing you must remember when dealing with electrical objects, turn off the power. It is best to cut the power to the circuit you are working on at the breaker box. If you are unsure which fuse or breaker is the correct one, turn off the main power breaker. It is better to be safe than sorry, one shock of “house current” (the electricity that runs your electrical appliances) could kill you.
Always remember to respect electricity. Do not do anything with the wiring unless the power is off.
So, once the old fixture is removed, examine the wiring for signs of wear, such as fraying or small cuts. If any of this is evident, cut off the bad parts and strip about a half inch of the covering back to expose the bare wire. Don’t worry; there is usually plenty of wiring tucked up inside the ceiling to allow this.
Separate the wires and straighten them as best you can, so that you can see what you have. You should have three wires coming from the ceiling (older homes may only have two) one is white (or beige) it is the negative, the black one is positive and there is a bare copper wire that is the ground. Even with the power off it is unwise to touch the negative to the positive, be careful and keep the separate.
Look at the brace that held the old fixture, most of these are strong enough to hold a ceiling fan. Make sure it is securely attached to a joist (cross member). Attach the mounting bracket that came with the fan. Use the screws that held your old fixture, and secure this tightly against the ceiling. Be sure that the wires are not obscured by the mounting bracket.
Attach the motor assembly (you do not have the blades on it at this time) to the mounting bracket. If you have a light kit, you will have two power wires, probably a blue one and a black one; twist these together. Attach, by twisting, the power wires, to the black wire in the ceiling. Then attach the negative wire (usually white) to the white wire in the ceiling. The green ground wire from the motor assembly goes to the bare copper wire in the ceiling. When all are attached, secure them by screwing wire nuts over the bare wires. Tuck everything up under the mounting bracket and hang the motor assembly on its bracket.
Screw the canopy to the mounting bracket, to finish the top of the fan.
Attach the fan blades
There are pre-positioned screws in the motor assembly; they correspond with the holes in the fan blade brackets. Take out one set at a time and attach one blade at a time. Then attach the next blade across from the first, and so on in a star pattern, until all of the blades are attached.
Place a light bulb in the light kit and turn the power on.
You should get light and be able to operate the fan. If not, cut the power again and check your connections. These must be tight and no bare wires can be exposed or touching anything.
Once you are satisfied that the fan and light works, install the light globe and you are finished. Pat yourself on the back because, you did it.
