The ceiling fan is a great addition to our home for both comfort and decoration purposes. The ceiling fan relieves us in hot conditions by maintaining airflow in our houses. But installing a ceiling fan requires effort and time.
Today, we are going to discuss how long it takes to install a ceiling fan.
How long does it take to install a ceiling fan?
Usually, installing a ceiling fan takes about sixty minutes. But if one needs to remove an old fan before installing a new one, it will take around one hundred and twenty minutes. Furthermore, if there is no existing wiring, it will add one more hour to the total installation time.
The install process is divided into multiple parts and different part takes a different amount of time. Let’s talk about them.
To assemble a ceiling fan:
A ceiling fan usually is made of eight parts. Those are the Ceiling fan box, House wires, Hanger ball, Mounting bracket, Down rod, Canopy, Motor, Bracket, blade, and Light.
Generally, it takes at least thirty to sixty minutes to assemble all these parts in proper fit and put a ceiling fan together.
To hang a new ceiling fan:
Hanging a new ceiling fan does not take a lot of time. Any healthy person can do the job in a short time. It will take about five minutes for a person to put a ceiling fan up.
After you have successfully assembled all the parts of the ceiling fan, you can easily hang the fan to the ceiling. You can use a tool or a chair while doing this.
To install a ceiling fan with light:
A ceiling fan with lights on it takes care of the lighting and decoration of your rooms. Installing a light kit on your ceiling fan could take up to half an hour to one hour depending on your expertise.
If you are installing a single light on your fan, then it will take less time than installing two or three lights.
To remove and replace ceiling fan:
If you need to remove a ceiling fan first and then replace it with a new one, then it would take you more time. This process could take one hour or less depending on your expertise.
Before removing the fan, you have to make sure that the power flow to the fan has been cut off. Otherwise, it will result in an accident.
How much does it cost to install a ceiling fan?
The cost of installing a ceiling fan depends on a lot of things. For example, how expert you are at installing ceiling fans and if there are existing wires or not.
With existing wiring:
Installing a ceiling fan with existing wiring costs much less than without existing wiring. Generally, installing a ceiling fan with existing wiring will cost around one hundred dollars to three hundred dollars.
Without existing wiring:
Without existing wiring, the installation of a ceiling fan increases significantly. Usually, installation of a ceiling fan without existing wiring will cost somewhere between four hundred dollars to two thousand dollars.
If there are no circuits, then the installation cost will increase even more. It will cost one thousand dollars to two thousand dollars more. It will make the installation cost come up to three thousand dollars.
Cost to install a ceiling fan by:
The installation cost of a ceiling fan depends on the expertise of the person who is installing it. So let’s discuss that.
Mister sparky:
Mister Sparky is an American company that provides electricians for people. You can hire an electrician from Mister Sparky to install your ceiling fan. The service charge of Mister Sparky is twenty-nine dollars.
So this twenty-nine dollars will be added to the installation cost. Additionally, the electrician might charge one hundred dollars to two hundred dollars depending on the labor.
Home Depot:
Home depot is a home improvement company that proves fan installation services for its customers. Typically, the installation cost of a ceiling fan by home depot costs one hundred dollars to three dollars depending on the amount of time and type of fan.
A handyman:
A handyman might charge you fifty dollars to seventy dollars per hour for his labor. This will increase your fan installation cost by up to three hundred dollars.
Is installing a ceiling fan difficult?
The difficulty level of installing a fan depends on the expertise you have. If you have previous and adequate knowledge about the installation of a ceiling fan, then it is an easy thing for you.
If you are not an expert at installation, then following instructions can be very helpful. Installing a ceiling fan is not so hard in general.
Can I install a ceiling fan myself?
Yes. You can install a ceiling fan yourself. If you follow certain instructions and step by step guide, then you can install a ceiling fan yourself.
But if the installation process requires wiring and you are not an electrician, then it is better to hire an electrician to assist you in the installation process.
But you only need to assemble a ceiling fan and hang it to the ceiling, then you can do it yourself. One person can install a ceiling fan if he/she has adequate knowledge and previous experience about the installation process of a ceiling fan.
What tools are needed to install a ceiling fan?
- Screwdriver
- Power Drill
- Stepladder
- Voltage Meter
- Wire Strippers
- Drywall Saw
- Electrical Tape
- Electrical Wire
- Wrench
How to install a ceiling fan?
Installation of a ceiling fan involves many steps and processes. They are:
Deciding The Size Of The Fan:
The first step of installing a ceiling fan requires you to inspect the size of the fan you need to install in your room. You need to compare your fan’s size to the number of square feet your room possesses.
Installing a too big or too small fan can hamper the installation process. Here is a chart for you to better understand the perfect size of the fan for your room:
| Size Of The Room | Blade Span Of The Fan |
|---|---|
| 75 square feet | 36 inches |
| 225 square feet | 42 inches |
| 250 square feet and above | 54 inches |
Cut off electricity:
You then need to cut off any electricity flowing to the circuit of the old fan. If there are any nuts and screws left, take them out carefully. Then you need to disconnect the wires from the circuit to stop the flow of electricity.
Not cutting off electricity before starting installation will result in an accident.
Add electrical box:
If there is any old electrical box left on the ceiling, then remove it carefully. You can cut the old electrical box out with a drywall saw. Then you have to attach a new electrical box in the space left by the old electrical box.
You need to take out the wires through the electrical box. You will need to attach the electrical box very hard with the joist. You have to use a power drill to drive the screws into the ceiling.
Add ceiling plate:
You will have to add the ceiling plate onto the electrical box and place all the wires in the center of the ceiling plate. You will then need to screw in the ceiling plate properly.
Assemble and hang the fan:
You will have to add the down rod to the body of the fan. Then hang the fan body along with the down rod to the ceiling. You have to use a stepladder while assembling and hanging the fan.
Then you have to connect the neutral wires, ground wires, and remaining wires together.
You will then need to add the blades to the fan body using a screwdriver. You will carefully need to attach the fan blades one by one. If there is a light kit for the fan, then add the lights to the lightbox. Adding lights to the side of the fan is a very simple task.
The wiring process of the lighting section is quite similar to the wiring process of the fan.
Turn on the fan:
Next, you have to turn the fan on to test whether the fan has been properly installed or not. If the fan does not turn on, then it means something went wrong in the installation process. In that case, take the help of your local electrician to install your ceiling fan.
Final Thoughts
Installing a ceiling fan can take up to one hour. But it can increase up to two hours in total if one has to remove an old one first. The installation time of a ceiling also depends on the expertise of the person who is doing it. Without any existing wiring, the installation process becomes longer.