Note: Advices in this post are merely given as possibilities and are not the definite solution to your problem. However, we hope that they could help to answer some of your questions. :)
Pinpointing what exactly is wrong with your ceiling fan is tricky. After all, the fan mechanism is protected by an exterior metal casing which isn't as easy to reach as Superman with his X-ray vision. Plus dismantling the casing and run into the risk of turning a minor fan issue into a big problem seems like a bad idea too.
Well, let's see if we can help.
Question 1: My ceiling fan has three speeds (high, medium, low) function which were working fine until yesterday when the High speed started to rotate at the same speed as the Medium. What could be the problem?
Ans: First of all, check to see if your ceiling fan is powered by a remote control or wall regulator. If you do not use a remote control, the issue is most likely caused by a faulty capacitor. You may buy and do the replacement yourself. Just make sure that you have gotten the spare part compatible with your ceiling fan.
If you use a remote control and this issue occurs, it is best to call your service center to arrange for a house visit to determine the actual cause.
A capacitor would look like...
If you use a remote control and this issue occurs, it is best to call your service center to arrange for a house visit to determine the actual cause.
A capacitor would look like...
this!
Question 2: My ceiling fan is shaking. Is that dangerous?
Ans: It depends on how bad is the shaking. If it is just a slight, hardly noticeable wobbling, that shouldn't pose any problem. It most probably could be due to the fan blades' weight difference or if your ceiling fan is attached to the ceiling with a long rod.
If you noticed that your ceiling fan is shaking really badly, it is best that you stop using it completely till the problem is fixed. A wobbling ceiling fan has the danger of loosening the parts within it.
Question 3: Why does my ceiling fan wobble?
Ans: The wobbling is usually due to unbalanced fan blades (weight of the individual blades) of the ceiling fan. Set your fan speed to Low and try to observe which fan blade is moving differently from the rest. Take note of any damaged or dented fan blade.
If all fan blades are in perfect condition, try checking your fan bracket to make sure that the ceiling fan is firmly installed onto your ceiling. Keep an eye out for any loosen screws or bots that might be present.
If your ceiling fan has only started to wobble after a few years, try checking for crack lines on your ceiling. It could also be your home ceiling wearing out over time.
Question 4: My ceiling fan is noisy! What could be the cause(s)?
Ans: Diagnosing a noisy fan is a bit more tricky because there are a lot of factors that could contribute to the noise of your ceiling fan.
First answer these few questions:
a. Where is the sound coming from?
Is it coming from the bracket, the motor, the ceiling or somewhere else?
b. When (usually) will the sound be audible?
Will you only hear it at a certain time of the day? Or only when the ceiling fan is switched on or set to a certain speed?
c. How loud is the noise/sound?
d. Observe and try to describe it.
Does it sounds like a small piece of metal knocking against another hard surface? Or goes by a steady but persistent humming? Or something else?
e. How long have you had this ceiling fan? And also, how often do you use it?
Some possible causes are:
1. Unbalanced ceiling fan
2. Unbalanced fan blades
3. Running low or out of lubricant
4. Loose screws, nuts or bolts
Question 5: I just had my ceiling fan installed yesterday. It was working fine but when I tried to switch it on today, it doesn't work! What happened? Why is your brand of ceiling fan's quality so bad!
Ans: When situations like these arise, keep calm and trace back your footsteps. Try to recall what have been done to your house from the time your ceiling fan worked till it didn't.
Try answering these few questions:
a. Was your house still under construction or recently just completed renovation when the ceiling fan was installed?
If your house was, it could be possible that wiring is the issue. Sometimes, when electricians were trying to connect wiring (for lights or other electrical appliances) around the house, they might have accidentally disconnect or fuse the wire connection leading to the ceiling fan.
Contact back the same electrician to have him check on your house's wiring.
b. Have your house experienced a power trip or power failure during this time?
If so, the wiring connected to the ceiling fan might have been tripped or fused. If you are not experienced in the field of electrical wiring, please contact your electrician to have him resolve the issue.
On rare cases that the power trip has fused certain wires or parts within the ceiling fan itself, new spare parts would be required for replacement.
3. Is your ceiling fan powered by a remote control?
If that is a yes, try changing the batteries. It is not uncommon that the first set of batteries in the remote control depleted within a few days of the initial use.
If you noticed that your ceiling fan is shaking really badly, it is best that you stop using it completely till the problem is fixed. A wobbling ceiling fan has the danger of loosening the parts within it.
Question 3: Why does my ceiling fan wobble?
Ans: The wobbling is usually due to unbalanced fan blades (weight of the individual blades) of the ceiling fan. Set your fan speed to Low and try to observe which fan blade is moving differently from the rest. Take note of any damaged or dented fan blade.
If all fan blades are in perfect condition, try checking your fan bracket to make sure that the ceiling fan is firmly installed onto your ceiling. Keep an eye out for any loosen screws or bots that might be present.
If your ceiling fan has only started to wobble after a few years, try checking for crack lines on your ceiling. It could also be your home ceiling wearing out over time.
Question 4: My ceiling fan is noisy! What could be the cause(s)?
Ans: Diagnosing a noisy fan is a bit more tricky because there are a lot of factors that could contribute to the noise of your ceiling fan.
First answer these few questions:
a. Where is the sound coming from?
Is it coming from the bracket, the motor, the ceiling or somewhere else?
b. When (usually) will the sound be audible?
Will you only hear it at a certain time of the day? Or only when the ceiling fan is switched on or set to a certain speed?
c. How loud is the noise/sound?
d. Observe and try to describe it.
Does it sounds like a small piece of metal knocking against another hard surface? Or goes by a steady but persistent humming? Or something else?
e. How long have you had this ceiling fan? And also, how often do you use it?
Some possible causes are:
1. Unbalanced ceiling fan
2. Unbalanced fan blades
3. Running low or out of lubricant
4. Loose screws, nuts or bolts
Question 5: I just had my ceiling fan installed yesterday. It was working fine but when I tried to switch it on today, it doesn't work! What happened? Why is your brand of ceiling fan's quality so bad!
Ans: When situations like these arise, keep calm and trace back your footsteps. Try to recall what have been done to your house from the time your ceiling fan worked till it didn't.
Try answering these few questions:
a. Was your house still under construction or recently just completed renovation when the ceiling fan was installed?
If your house was, it could be possible that wiring is the issue. Sometimes, when electricians were trying to connect wiring (for lights or other electrical appliances) around the house, they might have accidentally disconnect or fuse the wire connection leading to the ceiling fan.
Contact back the same electrician to have him check on your house's wiring.
b. Have your house experienced a power trip or power failure during this time?
If so, the wiring connected to the ceiling fan might have been tripped or fused. If you are not experienced in the field of electrical wiring, please contact your electrician to have him resolve the issue.
On rare cases that the power trip has fused certain wires or parts within the ceiling fan itself, new spare parts would be required for replacement.
3. Is your ceiling fan powered by a remote control?
If that is a yes, try changing the batteries. It is not uncommon that the first set of batteries in the remote control depleted within a few days of the initial use.
Question 6: I bought my ceiling fan with Light Kit, but the lights (from the light kit) wouldn't on together with my ceiling fan. It would either be my ceiling fan that is working or my lights that work but I cannot get them to be switched on at the same time!
Ans: It most probably should be due to the remote control or IC part within the ceiling fan.
Try answering these few questions in sequence:
a. Is your ceiling fan powered by a remote control?
If yes, please move on to Question b. If no, please move on to Question C.
b. When did you installed your ceiling fan? Was it recently (yesterday or two days ago) or two year ago?
If it was installed recently, there is a very likely chance that the problem lies in the frequency of the remote control to its receiver. Sometimes contractors will preset the settings of the remote control and thus rendering it undetectable by the receiver installed within the fan.
Just like the new TV set you've just bought. There will always be some presets required, be it for the cable channel or for the remote control. Ceiling fan and its remote control function similarly to TV sets.
Click here for the step-by-step instructions to changing of remote control frequency in a ceiling fan. Please note that this video is merely a guide and may differ between different brands of ceiling fans and remote controls. We do not hold responsibility for any possible implications that may occur during your attempted repairs without the help of our maintenance professionals.
c. Is your ceiling fan controlled by a wall regulator?
If so, the problem would most likely be due to the IC. IC is a small mechanism within ceiling fans that operates upon your command and switches between the Fan function, Light function or both functions.
In such cases, please take note of your ceiling fan's brand and contact the respective service center to have them arrange a quick maintenance.
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Many apologies for the delayed posting, fellow homeowners/readers! These are a few of the more commonly encountered issues by ceiling fan owners, so we have just compiled a set of answers to make understanding of your own ceiling fans easier.
Like we've mentioned above, hope they're useful! :)
"He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
