How to replace a light fixture with a ceiling fan
If you’re still wondering what we mean by this before and after chart, that talks about expenditure let me explain what it means.Before we begin I’d like you to glance through the chart below
Before
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After
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Expenditure - $$$$
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Expenditure - $$
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Here my main focus here is to guide on how a light fixture can be replaced by a ceiling fan with lights, so considering that the ceiling fan comes with a light fixture you can be sure you’re going to save more on your energy bills post installation. The reason being, you won’t need two different electrical devices to serve two different purposes, instead, you’d be replacing them both with one device that would do the job of both, which obviously means more savings.
“Save cooling and heating costs by replacing your current light fixture with a top of the line, designer fan that comes with an inbuilt light fixture”
Tools
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Materials
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Hammer
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Fan with mounting kit
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Drywall saw
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Support Brace
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Circuit tester
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Wall control switch
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Wire strippers
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Wire nuts
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Screwdrivers
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Nails
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Drill Machine
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If you’ve purchased a fan already, thumbs up to you but if you haven’t done so as yet here’s an easy way to determine the perfect fan for your home. Start off by measuring the longest wall in the room where you plan on installing it. If it measures less than 12 ft you’ll need to opt for a ceiling fan that is 36 inches in diameter whereas if it measures around 12 to 15 ft, you’d need a 42” fan. Anything that measures more than 15 ft would require a fan that is 52 inches in diameter.
Now let’s quickly dive into this a step easy DIY project
Step 1: Remove The Existing Light Fixture
This will be an easy DIY Project for someone who is comfortable with basic electrical activities. To replace an existing light fixture with a ceiling fan of your choice, your the first and most crucial step would be to turn off the electricity directly, by turning off the main source that’s supplying electricity to your home. Now secure the turned off switch with a tape, this would prevent it from turning on and causing any mishap. Once you have everything in place, unscrew the light fixture from your ceiling using a drill machine and you’ll be all set for step 2.
Uninstalling a light fixture step by step:
A. Turn the power supply off at the circuit breaker and wall switch
B. Uninstall light fixture in the following order
Glass Fitters
Light Bulbs
Canopy
Mounting Bracket
Step 2: Install A Ceiling Fan Box with A Support Brace
Now that you’ve successfully completed step 1 i.e you’ve finally got rid of that light fixture you will need to have the following tools in place and materials in order to replace the existing electrical box with an outlet box that says “acceptable for fan support”. This outlet box can easily carry/support upto 50 pounds but ceiling fans tend to weigh more than that when in motion. This clearly indicates that you’ll require a heavy duty support brace in order to give it the additional support it needs.
Step 3: Install Mounting Bracket
Most ceiling fans do come with a mounting bracket when purchased but if yours doesn’t you can easily buy a mounting kit separately. Follow the instructions given in the brochure that comes along with it and install the mounting bracket to the ceiling as explained.
Mounting your fan too close to the ceiling causes a restriction in air circulation, so to avoid that from happening we recommend that you use an extension rod.
Step 4: Connect Fan Motor Wiring
Mount the fan motor to the previously installed ceiling bracket simply by inserting the swivel ball into the bracket. Next, you need to attach the fan motor wires to the existing housing wiring. If at all the fan has a care green or copper insulated wire, attach the same to this existing ground wire and connect the two to the metal electrical box.
Step 5: Attach The Fan Blades
Now install the fan canopy that covers both, the mounting bracket and the ceiling box seamlessly. Install each fan blade with a blade mounting bracket and then attach these to the rotating bezel that’s located below the fan motor. Ensure that all of the mounting screws are tightly fixed. Failing to do so will result in loose blades, that will cause the fan to wobble.
Step 6: Attach The Light Fixture
This is the fun part. Time to affix the light fixture to the fan by connecting the wiring as per the manufacturer's instructions. Nowadays you don’t need to buy these separately, ceiling fans with lights are easily available in the Indian market
Although this requires you to have a lot of patience and knowledge, it is a fun DIY project that will you enjoy doing. Moreover, you’d save money on hiring someone to get this work done.
