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Writer's pictureLanny Freng

Wobble, wobble, wobble...



They are out there! A wobbling fan is usually caused by one of two reasons. First, improper fixture box. Not every light fixture box is rated to support a ceiling fan. There is a lot of weight and rotational force exerted on these boxes. A standard light fixture box will flex when subjected to these forces which may result in a wobble that you otherwise would not see. Second, balance is key. If the blades are not balanced it will cause this and it does not take much to cause a wobble.


How do we fix this? Might be easy, might be a bit more involved. If an improper fixture box was used you can probably still get it to stop wobbling if you balance it perfectly but that does not mean that it is safe. Do you want to have the spinning wheel of death on high over your bed break away in the middle of the night? This can and does happen! The collar at the top of the fan can be lowered so the fixture box can be seen. If it is plastic, there is a good chance it is not rated for ceiling fans. If you move the post on the fan and the box easily flexes it is the wrong one. This can be fixed though. The fan needs to be removed and a retrofit ceiling fan box kit can be installed. This can be done in less than an hour.


Balancing the fan... They sell balancing kits but you can DIY it for pennies. Literally, a penny. Clean the back of the fan blades off and give them a quick rub on top with some isopropyl alcohol (helps tape stick), on one blade tape a penny to the back of the blade in the middle. Do this with each blade individually and see which one has the most reduction in wobble. When you find that one, adjust the penny in or out (from the center) on the fan blade till the wobble is gone. You may have to upgrade to a larger coin depending on severity. That's all I have for this month. See you in May!


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We are now offering light handyman services. Check out our website for more information on this service.

(Due to conflict of interest and ethics requirements, we do not perform repair work on homes

we have inspected in the prior 12 months.)


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