How to Troubleshoot a Ceiling Fan

Get rid of excess noise by checking for these easy-to-fix problems.

Make sure things are tight - over time, screws or nuts and bolts can vibrate loose. Check all of these that you can find; also see if the unit is loose where it attaches to the ceiling. If there's excessive play, remove the base cover and tighten nuts, bolts and mounting screws.

Understand that stopping squeaks, hums or grinding noises could just require a little light lubricating oil on bearings or pivoting mounting points.

Cure the wobbles and you'll put an end to one source of noise. Check to see if the blades are hanging level - that's something you can see when the fan's in motion as well as at a standstill.

Push the fan back into level while it's turned off. You might have to do this a couple of times to completely cure the wobble.

Listen for any humming noise at the fan motor; this can indicate that there is power to the unit but that a seized bearing or worn brushes or windings are keeping the fan from functioning.

Make sure you don't have a bad switch on the fan unit or on the wall. These can both be easily tested with an inexpensive circuit tester and replaced for a low cost.

Check for blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers at the main electrical box of the residence.

Plan to replace the fan if you find that it won't turn at all because of a bad motor - most fans are inexpensive enough that repair costs would outweigh the cost of replacement.