How to Repair a Ceiling Fan at Home. Learn Everything About it!

You might not really want to learn how to repair a ceiling fan, we presume. There are professional service providers who can do it for you.

However, you are probably here looking for solutions to fix your ceiling fan because it has stopped working. So, let’s talk about it without beating around the bush. There could be many reasons behind the sudden stopping, but identifying the reason behind it makes it easier for you to get it fixed. By the time you finish reading this detailed guide on what to do when you’ve found out that your ceiling fan at home is not working, you’ll be confident enough to fix it.  So how to repair a ceiling fan without much fuss? Here you go.

How to Repair a Ceiling Fan: Step-by-Step Method

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First Things First- Test the Switch! 

The easiest step to rectifying your ceiling fan when it isn’t functioning is to check whether the switch to which the fan is wired is in the ON position. Obvious but there are occasions people overlook this. Before you turn the fan on through the pull cord, make sure to do this. The next thing to ensure is whether the power is working in the room. Check the fuse or breaker box and reset them if there is no power. After this step, use a circuit tester and see whether the switch is working. Replace the fan's switch if it is not working. 

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Move to Troubleshoot the Motor

You will have to go for more complex troubleshooting if you see that checking the switch doesn’t resolve the issue with your ceiling fan. The first and foremost thing to do is cut off the supply to the fan and keep the switch in the off position before you begin with this. 

Remove the housing cover on the ceiling fan with a screwdriver to see the electrical wiring. Check whether any loose wires keep the fan from spinning as they can be seen mostly in older ceiling fans. Now see whether the fan’s motor has power by using a circuit tester. In case when the motor doesn’t have power, chances are that the fan has got some wiring issues. Either the wiring between the power source, or the wiring between the switch could be in bad condition. If the motor has power, inspect the shaft of the ceiling fan to ensure that no wiring is holding it back from moving. In such cases, move the wires from the shaft before turning on the fan. However, if you find damages in any nearby wirings, fix them using electrical tape. You can also consider replacing the damaged wiring as a persisting solution. 

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If Still Unfinished, Replace the Motor 

You will have to get the correct parts for your ceiling fan if you wish to replace the ceiling fan's motor. You should always consider the type of ceiling fan you have at home before you begin replacing its motor. Certain types of ceiling fans come with motors that you can plug in and out easily whereas other types would need you to match the colour of the fan’s wiring with that of the new motor. Make sure to look in detail at the connections when you remove an old ceiling fan to avoid confusion while replacing your fan’s motor.

Though a replacement motor is a more affordable solution, we’d suggest you consider a whole new fixture if your ceiling fan is too old. Or else, you might have to deal with similar unpleasant situations often. 

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Is it the Ceiling Fan Lights?

Ceiling fans with lights are a popular choice for living rooms. They could even offer the needed overhead lighting in small spaces. Here are a few ways to fix your ceiling fan lights if they have stopped working. 

The first thing you should check is whether the fan is working. If you see that both the fan and light aren’t working well, ensure whether you are getting power in the room- do this by turning on some other appliance in the room. Inspect the breaker for your room to ensure that the fan gets power, reset the breaker and test the fan and its light again. Ceiling fans with multi-bulb configuration won’t stop working even when one bulb gets burned out, but it is not the case with fans that have one light, hence you might have to replace the burnt-out bulbs. 

If the lights still don’t work, check for other aspects. For instance, ensure to use bulbs that don’t go beyond the wattage rating of the light kit of the ceiling fan. Certain fans come with a limiting device that will hold back the fan’s light from working if you use the wrong bulbs. Remove the bulb if you think that the bulb might be what’s causing the problem, but only after turning the power off. Inspect the bulb’s interior for burn marks- if they have any, it could be because of wiring issues. The last thing you can check is the wiring in the canopy to ensure that nothing has come loose. Remember to secure the connections in this area using nuts. 

Note: The blue wire in a majority of ceiling fans controls its light kit. 

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Is the Issue with the Speed Control?

We have not seen many ceiling fans that don’t have speed control, we assume you might not also have! If you see that your ceiling fan isn’t working after all these checks, chances could be that its speed control is not working. Here’s how you can troubleshoot the speed control of the ceiling fan:

Locate the ball bearings of the speed control and clean them well. Add some lubricant and replace the capacitor of the fan if you notice erratic speeds while the fan works. Ensure that the motor of the ceiling fan doesn’t get too hot by allowing the fan to run for 5-10 minutes. Feel the motor housing using your hand when you feel that it is safe to do so. You will have to replace the motor if you feel that the motor is too hot as it is a possible indication of damaged components and internal bearings. The easy way is to go for a replacement for a motor as the internal parts are not always user serviceable. 

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It Might be the Capacitor that Needs Help 

When you troubleshoot on how to repair a ceiling fan, make sure you check the capacitor. It is easy to replace the capacitor of a ceiling fan. Just match the right wires of the fan to the capacitor and note the wiring of the old capacitor. Make sure that the power to the fan is turned off before you proceed. You can consider clicking a few pictures of the present capacitor as it can be of help for you while shopping. 

Chances are there for the capacitor either to be fully or partially damaged. You will easily understand when you spot a damaged capacitor as it might mostly have some discolouration or swelling. But in other cases, get an ohmmeter if you want to check the capacitor. Discharge the capacitor properly before you test it and use rubber gloves while you test it using a screwdriver, an insulated handle or a metal tool. 

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Does Your Ceiling Fan Shake While Working?

A shaky ceiling fan is one of the most dangerous things in your house, and you shouldn’t wait to fix it when you spot it. It is quite a simple process. Start by cleaning the dust and dirt from your ceiling fan blades as they weigh more causing an extra load to the fan. Also, you will have to deal with a clean fan for the next steps while troubleshooting it as you don’t want to deal with any allergies later. If you’re wondering about the types of allergies that might haunt you, take a look at this.

Begin by inspecting for loose screws on the blades as this can be a common issue in old ceiling fans. Move on to inspecting the light kit, download, motor and mounting hardware for loose screws. Tighten all the screws and see if the problem is resolved. If it is not resolved yet, check the mounting bracket to see whether the hanger ball sits steady in its place. Adjust and create a secure fit if needed. Now inspect the outlet box to see whether it is properly rated for the fan. Also, ensure that it is equipped enough to hold the weight of the fan. Finally, you will have to make sure that the outlet box is attached well to the support beam. 

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Is Your Ceiling Fan Noisy?

Wait for one or two days to turn your ceiling fan on after installation. There is a chance for the fan to be slightly noisy even when you do everything correctly, and when the fan is working as expected. Tighten the screws of the fan- check the blades and light kit as they might be the troublemakers in most cases. 

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Home Appliances Services in Singapore

If you’re worried about how to repair a ceiling fan at home, don’t worry, we got you! Book the handyman service for an electrician from Sendhelper by downloading the Sendhelper app from Google Play or App Store or visiting our website.

Our electricians are certified and experienced to troubleshoot and repair all kinds of household ceiling fans in Singapore. We have been rated the most trusted partners for electrical services on various online platforms in Singapore.