How To Install a Ceiling Fan: Step by Step Guide with Pictures and Videos


People who install a ceiling fan do two things very well for their home:

First they instantly upgrade the appearance of their home

Second they improve air circulation. 

Your probably wondering well how do i install a ceiling fan?

This guide will be walking you through the process, step-by-step, on how to install a ceiling fan.

The Harbor Breeze ceiling fan and Hampton Bay ceiling fan are very functional and provide any room with added style. If a ceiling fan is going to be installed in a room that has a ceiling outlet already, then the wiring process is the same as wiring any other type of ceiling fixture. 

Now:

If there is no overhead box in the room, an electrician will need to be hired to install the box and also run the wires across the ceiling and through the wall.  You can install the actual fan on your own.

Tip: For instructions on replacing a ceiling fan, check the owner’s manual for your specific model for removal instructions, and then use this guide to get your new model installed. If you dont have a guide then check out our range of guides on our ceiling fan manuals page here. Make sure that the current ceiling box that you have can hold the weight of the new ceiling fan that you are installing.

Here’s the deal:

1. Inspect All Electrical Outlets

Safety: Turn the power off to the fan at the electrical panel before you start. Use a testing device to make sure that no power is being received by the fan.

Inspect your current junction box to ensure that it is rated to use with ceiling fans. The box should have an inscription on it to indicate that.  Usually the box is metal.  If it isn’t, it should be replaced with a fan-rate junction box along with a fan brace placed in between the ceiling joists in order to help support the weight of the fan.  Step 2 will show this process.

2. Mount Junction Box

– Take the fan brace and insert it through a hole in the sheetrock and into the ceiling.  The brace’s square tube needs to be centered with this hole. 

– Take the square tube and use your hand to rotate it until its teeth are locked firmly into the joist.  To gauge the results, feel around it.

– Take the U-bolt bracket and attach it to the fan brace.  The bolts should be facing downward and the bracket should be centered inside of the hole.

– Take the cable wire and thread it into the junction box.  The box should be slipped up so the bolts are able to slide through.  To secure the box in place, tighten the nuts.

But here’s the kicker:

3. Mount The Bracket

– Take the main wires and thread them through the middle of the mounting bracket.

– If there is a slide-on bracket on the fan, the mounting bolts can be left on the junction box and the fan bracket can slide over the mounting screws.  Be sure to securely tighten them.

– If there is no slide-on fan bracket on the ceiling fan, put the fan bracket on top of the mounting bolts poking through the bracket and then use the nuts that are provided to fasten it.

It gets better:

4. Set The Downrod

– Use a flat surface to put the canopy on the ceiling fan downrod.  Then run the main wires through it.  Insert the cotter and clevis pins to the downrod, to connect it to the base of the fan.

– Take the bulb-shape fitting that is on the top part of the downrod and attach it to the mounting bracket that is on the ceiling.

Now:

5. Wire Your Ceiling Fan

– Your ceiling fan wiring needs to be connected to your household wiring.  Additional wires come with some ceiling fans, so make sure you check the owner’s manual of your fan for specific instructions and check the ceiling fan wiring diagram.  Use the wire nuts that come with the ceiling fan installation kit in order to secure all of the wires.  If your ceiling fans do not have lights then this will be a much quicker process.

– To wire the ceiling fan, make sure the wires are matched up. The green or copper insulated wire on the fan will often connect to the ground wire.  The black wire on the fan’s motor connects with the supply’s black wires.  The light kit’s wire from the ceiling fan, which are striped or blue, connect as well with the supply’s black wires.  The white wire on the fan’s motor connect with the supply’s neutral or white wire.

Want to know the best part?

If you dont have the correct parts or need help check out our Replacement parts and Repairs page here.

– After these wires have been connected securely, they can be pushed into the junction box.

– If the wires don’t fit inside the box, you can cut them using wire cutters.  That will prevent them vibrating against the canopy while the fan is running.

– Take the canopy and clip it to the mounting bracket, then tighten all of the screws.

Tip: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions whenever you are wiring a ceiling fan to make sure you connect it properly.  If you have any questions about wiring a ceiling fan, review the manufacturer’s instructions that go with your specific model of ceiling fan.

This is crazy:

6. Attach The Bulbs And Blades

– There are quick-install blades on some fans that make the installation process faster.  The blade arm posts can be aligned through the keyhole slots on the blade and slide them outwards until they click into place and lock.

– For fans that do not have quick-install blades, the fan blades need to be screwed into the blade arms.  Whatever side of the blade that you want to show should be facing down.

– The installation process also can be speed up if you have ceilings fans that have accu-arm blade brackets.  Those brackets have blade screws that are attached.  There is also an alignment post located on the bracket to help mount the blade arms without the mounting hole getting stripped.

– For fans that do not have the accu-arm feature, there are two screws that are used to fasten the blade assembly onto the motor.  The screws should be driven in slowly so that the blades are not bent or stripped in the process.  Securely tighten the screws.

– Install any light bulbs or globes that come with the kit. 

– Turn the power back on and test the wall controls and ceiling fan remotes to ensure that the fan turns on.

Now:

7. Tips For Ceiling Fan Installation

– Before you install your ceiling fan, check out the ceiling conditions in the place where you want to install the fan.

– If you are installing a fan in a place where one didn’t exist before, check with the building code department in your local area to find out if you are required to get a permit.

Remember Safety:

– Safety: Ceiling fans must be anchored properly to an electric ceiling box that has been designed to be able to hold heavy fixtures.  Not only will it be holding the ceiling fan’s wiring, but also will be supporting the fan’s full weight.  If an existing ceiling fan is being replaced, double-check to make sure the new fan’s weight can be supported by your existing ceiling box.

– Safety: Turn the power off to the fan at your electrical panel.  Then use the right testing device to make sure there is no power in the fixture before starting to do any work.  Don’t rely on your wall switch for protection against electrical shock. 

– If you are installing a ceiling fan to replace a simple light fixture, most likely you will need to replace the box with one that has been rated to use with ceiling fans.

– Consider getting an easy-install ceiling fan, which you can install in only three simple steps.  All of the parts that need to be assembly just click into place.

– Before you install your ceiling fan, check the joists to see if there are any plumbing pipes or wiring that are in the way.

Juan Paul

I'm Juan Paul, the guy behind HamptonLightingAdvice. I've been the owner of several Products from Hampton Bay over the last few years and have become obsessed with them. Nearly every day you'll find me searching for newly updated manuals to help myself and others who visit this site. Over the last few years, Hampton Lighting Advice has grown into a pillar of the Home Decor industry with tens of thousands of site visitors each month. You can read more on our About Us page.

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