If you are a newbie in the world of cooling appliances, you may wonder how to make a ceiling fan quiet. Some of the best fans are ceiling fans, and at times they can make a fair amount of noise during use. So, what steps should you take to get that ceiling fan to pipe down? The application of small engine oil or tightening screws are a couple of ways to quiet a ceiling fan. Keep reading for more details on how to fix a noisy ceiling fan.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Ceiling fans develop noise with prolonged use, particularly when the blades are out of balance.
- Start troubleshooting this issue of noisy ceiling fans by cleaning the fan blades, the canopy near the ceiling joists, and the mount for the fan motor.
- You should also apply lubricant into the oil hole and tighten any loose screws and fasteners to eliminate ceiling fan noise, such as clicking sounds.
A rattling noise coming from a ceiling fan can be an annoying and disruptive sound. It’s important to identify the cause of the noise to address it properly. In some cases, the issue could simply be a loose light fixture or other hardware connected to the fan itself. Other times, it could indicate an improper ceiling fan installation or even worn-out parts within the fan motor assembly.
While we have steps you can take to reduce a humming sound or strange noises, it’s always a good idea to have an experienced technician diagnose and repair any issues if you feel uncomfortable doing it yourself.
How to Make a Fan Less Noisy
There are many ceiling fan designs out there, as well as a number of issues that cause an increase in noise during use, similar to when learning how to stop a fan from wobbling. Fortunately, many of these troubleshooting steps are general maintenance procedures, so you won’t have to learn something as complicated as how to make a fan blade.
To ensure your ceiling fan runs properly, regular maintenance should be done by cleaning the blades and tightening any loose screws. Additionally, you may need to include replacement blades after a few years of use, or when they start looking frayed and worn out. A thorough ceiling fan maintenance checklist can help you with these tasks and ensure that your fan remains in good condition.
Insider Tip
Exercise great caution when using a ladder to access various ceiling fan components and consider having a second person around in case of injury.
Here are a few simple tips to make your ceiling fan stop squeaking and start working for you, which are all applicable even if you are conducting a Westinghouse ceiling fan review. You might even learn something, such as the answer to why do fans have five blades or how to change the ceiling fan direction.
Clean the Blades
Dust, grease, and related pieces of debris may not weigh a lot from our perspective, but they are heavy enough to weigh down fan blades, thus causing improper balance. When fan blades are unbalanced, they wobble, groan, and squeak during use. In other words, they make quite a racket. Make blade-cleaning a regular part of your routine, using a microfiber cloth to wipe away detritus. This stops the noise in the vast majority of cases.
Even regular cleaning can help with eliminating any noises from your ceiling fan. But, if you’re not regularly cleaning your fan blades, a simple cleaning will be the first step to solving the issue. Thus, to keep your fan running optimally and silently, make sure you include fan blade cleaning as part of your regular cleaning routine.
Tighten Everything
Loose fan components also lead to a loss of balance, resulting in a significant increase in noise during use. Break out your favorite ladder and screwdriver and get to tightening. Start by tightening any and all screws and fasteners on the fan blades themselves using blade screws. Next, move to the canopy and lighting fixture, repeating that same tightening process. Finally, tighten any screws and fasteners surrounding the mount and test to see if the noise has dissipated.
Grease the Fan
Most fans include a dedicated hole for oil or a lubricant of some kind. We have a simple guide on how to oil a ceiling fan you can read.. Break out the ladder again and fill this hole with a lubricant recommended by the instructions that accompanied your fan. When all else fails, you can purchase fan-specific oil. Lubricating the fan should resolve the issue of excessive noise.
STAT: Energy-Star rated ceiling fans move air up to 20% more efficiently than conventional fan models due to the advanced design of fan blades and motors. (source)
