Despite of the fact that to many, especially to millennials, ceiling fans may look as something old fashioned and of low performance, actually ceiling fans remain one of the top choices for people who live in the countries with super hot and long summers.
While air conditioners can cost you a fortune, even the best ceiling fans are not only way cheaper, but they also have almost the same performance as an AC while spending way less energy. They are easy to install, easy to maintain and clean, and they last very long. Maybe the idea of ceiling fans being an old-fashioned thing comes, exactly from that. Milleanials have grown up seeing the same ceiling fan at their grandparents’ or parents’ house, that now ceiling fans look like something that have accidentally survived till the 21st century. But the truth is quite different.
The century in which we live, alongside with the development of technology has also brought a whole range of fans, indoor and outdoor, for living rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms. Floor fan, wall-mounted fans, ceiling fans, small fans, big fans, summer fans and winter fans.
However, the possibility to choose among different types of fans produced by different manufacturers does not lure all people. Some people, for one reason or another wish to stick to their old fans. Whether because they do not want to spend money, or because they think they will never find another fan like the one they own, even when their ceiling fan starts slowing down they choose to keep it until it breaks down and no longer works.
If you, your parents, your friends, or someone you know own a fan that has slowed down while also making strange noises, then do not worry, since you are not hopeless. There may be a lot of reasons why over time a fan starts to slow down and wobble or rattle. However most of them you can fix with just a little knowledge, work and patience. In this article we have given the top reasons why a ceiling fan starts slowing down with time, and even given you some tips on how to fix your fan, in case it is encountering any of the problems listed below:
Problems with the bearings
As time passes by, your fan might start slowing down because of the dust and dirt formed inside it. It may be hard to understand at first, but with time dirt and oil gets formed in the bearings of your fan what makes it harder for it to spin the blades. That is why you should try to clean it regularly and oil its motor and bearings as necessary in order to prevent such a thing happen.
However, if your ceiling fan has already started to slow down, you can fix it just by cleaning its bearing. The process is simple and quick. Remove the blades of the ceiling fan, if they are removable. If not, just open the fan, and clean the bearing with a wet tissue then let it dry. If the dust has formed layers, try harder to remove it with a pointy tool. Do it slowly and carefully. Make sure the ceiling fan is off when you do it and then add oil.
If the fan still rotates in the same speed, that means the cleaning has been worthless. Therefore you will need change the bearings, which by the way do not cost that much.
Unbalanced wobbling blades
If the blades in your ceiling fan start to wobble after some time, that means one of the blades, or more, are unbalanced. The problem may also be that the blades are warped, bent or set at an angle different from the others. Or one of the blades may be more damaged, like broken. Take care to replace the damaged blade, or set them at the right angle. In case you do not find a same blade like the others to replace the damaged one, replace all of the blades.
However, in case you buy a new ceiling fan, and its blades wobble, then do not try to fix it on your own, since it may have a manufacturing problem. Send it back to where you bought, and let them replace it with another.
Bad capacitor
In case the performance of your ceiling fan has lowered and its blades are rotating in a slower motion, but it is for none of the reasons given above, then it may have a problem with the split capacitor motor. Unfortunately, you cannot repair it, your will have to replace it instead with a matching capacitor. However, it is better to replace a split capacitor rather than buying the whole ceiling fan, since your will have to spend way less money and energy.
Loose Screws
Another problem with your ceiling fan may be loose screws. You may encounter such a problem especially if you have mounted the ceiling fan on your own. During the process, which is not that easy, you might have left the screws loose, and that can cause a rattling sound of the blades. When you mount the fan, make sure that all the screws are tight enough not to cause such a problem. Loose screws may pose a danger for you and those living with you since if the blade comes loose then they can hurt anyone near it.
Maintaining your ceiling fan
The best way to avoid the slowing down of your ceiling fan is to take care of it from the beginning when you buy it. Most of the people just buy the fan, mount it to their ceiling or pay someone to do it for them, and never look back. Time after time they clean the dust on the blades and that is all. However, one should look after a ceiling fan just like they look after every other machine in their home. Clean it regularly and oil its bearings. If you notice something is wrong with it, check what it is as soon as possible before the problem get bigger over time.