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Stability of ceiling fan, worried it is unsafe?

Our house is fairly old, and it has a ceiling fan in the living room.

Over the past few years, it has begun to sink lower. It appears to be only supported by one.. thing. It wobbles when the fans is set on high, and if you turn it on high from not moving at all, the whole thing rotates.

I'm worried that one day it will be turned on and crash down.

How would I go about taking it down? I don't care if I have to get a saw and cut the thing down, I just don't want a heavy fan falling down breaking everything and or hurting my dog.

5 Answers

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Watson, this is a small problem. so a cigarette will do. No need for a pipe bowl.

    Your problem is one chronic to the home improvement industry & has been adequately resolved years ago with a product you can buy OTC at Menard's, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.

    Purchase a stabilizing fan box. This replaces the current ceiling electrical box. It has supports which attach to the ceiling joists & once expanded you can hang a swing from this thing.

    Disconnect the fan. Replace the box with above. Reconnect the fan. Weebles wobble, but not your fan. Wobble gone. Next project. Treat yourself to a glass of your favorite wine, you did great.

    Unit will cost less that $20. Caveat: you may accidentally enlarge the surrounding drywall, plaster during this application. Do yourself a big, big favor, buy a ceiling plate. This goes between the fan & ceiling & acts as a giant plate covering any indiscriminate errors. Very forgiving product. Add $10.

    Source(s): Licensed GC.
  • 9 years ago

    They are usually suspended from the electrical outlet box with a 1/2" steel pipe and held there with threads and a set screw. First off You need to access the electrical box from the attic and be sure it os still nailed properly. fairly easy trick to cut a 2x4 and beef it up.

    Then you need a ladder to check the fan housing and make sure the set screw is still tight and the fan housing is screwed all the way onto the pipe. if that is loose you need a screwdriver and a tube of loctite to tighten it up.

  • 9 years ago

    It is normal for the ceiling to wobble as the pressure of the down flow produces this effect. I used have a large ceiling fan in my bedroom at a previous residence and it did the same thing. It never fell down nor did the ceiling decide to fly away up into the air.

  • Don S
    Lv 6
    9 years ago

    Either take it down or secure it so that it is safe. If you have not worked with electricity I'd recommend that you either call and electrician or have somebody do it who has had some experience.

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  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    Get an electrician out to check it out, my brother had one installed wrongly and it fell out and hit the floor

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