How Much Weight Can a Ceiling Fan Hold? [Can It Fall]
When you want an upgrade on your typical ceiling fan, fixing a beautiful lamp will make an attractive vibe in your interior. How much weight can a ceiling fan hold? If you have thought of adding such lighting deco, this should be your next question.
Ceiling fans consist of rotating blades that are fixed to a shaft. The device that was introduced in 1889 has been used for decades as an alternative to deduct energy bills. There are many types to choose from per the customer’s requirement. The number of blades, uses, the material used, and the processing are some aspects used to classify ceiling fans. So, the homeowners can select whether the fan is directly mounted to the ceiling or mounted to a rod hanging from the ceiling. Usually, the speed lies between 300 RPM-350RPM (Rotations Per Minute). The fans do not cool the air but promote the evaporation of sweat. These can be used with air conditioners as a method to circulate the cool air.
How Much Weight Can a Ceiling Fan Hold?
A ceiling fan consists mainly of a ceiling fan box, mounting bracket, canopy, motors, and blades. Some fans include lights too. The motor is the functional unit in which the blades’ mechanical energy is formed by using the electricity from the home line.
How much weight can a ceiling fan hold? The answer to this question is with the ceiling fan box used in the fixing. It is also known as the electrical box and ceiling fan junction box. The box stands as a cover for the electrical wire supplies to the device. Electric boxes are of many varieties based on the material used, shape, depth, and surface nature that they can be attached to.
In the market, you could see round-shaped (the commonly seen type), octagonal-shaped, or square-shaped ceiling fan boxes. Some electricals are made from metal, and there are hard plastic versions too. The weight that a ceiling fan box bear without wearing is determined by the manufacturer and is made to bear more weight than the weight bears by a normal outlet box. Some homes with old ceiling fan installations do not present an outlet box as the fixing component to the wall. Therefore, you will have to reinstall the electrical boxes in terms of safety measures.
As a whole, it is clear that hanging additional weights includes a potential risk. If you need to hang some paper-made decorations or any soft item for events like a Christmas party, it is OK. But you must avoid hanging many kilo weights. The electrical box you are using for the installation must hang at least a weight of 50 lbs without any damage. The highest of all will be 75 lbs. As per the directions of the National Electricity Code, if your fan has no electrical box and it has a weight of 50 lbs or more, then you have to go for a rearrangement with an outlet box. This is crucial to avoid fans falling down, creating family members’ severe injuries.
We could see wide use of plastic ceiling outlet boxes. This is because plastic is low-cost material than metal and the technicians find it easy to handle. If you hang more weight than the fan components definitely, a plastic electrical box will wear permanently.
How to Install a Ceiling Fan Box?
If your house does not present a ceiling outlet box, you need to fix one, and if you intend to hang a weight on the fan, you also must go for an upgrade. Installing a ceiling fan box must be done with the proper care. You should follow the exact steps to avoid any fixing failures that will eventually end up with non-reversible wear to the fan components. Sometimes the wrong methodology will make the fan fall down. If a fan falls over a person, it possesses a force to cause a bone fracture, internal bleeding, and severe cuts on the skin.
We have described the correct steps below. We hereby thoroughly advise you not to do the repairs if you do not have enough experience. Instead, please hire a qualified technician.
- Turn off the power supply to your house.
- If you are upgrading an existing ceiling fan box, you need to remove the ceiling around the old box using a sharp knife.
- If there is a pancake box, you should remove it first using screws.
- Next, you have to remove the box. This is a task that must be carefully done without damaging the other components. You can use a pry bar for this. You should pry the box from the joints and also take it out from the fixing nails.
- Pull down the box and remove the cable fixed to it. If the box is tightly fixed, you will need to clear up more ceiling parts to see the fixing.
- Now you have finished the unplug. For the installation, fix a braced box first. Insert the brace through the hole and rotate it to fix the metal bar to the wood. Fix the mounting bolts properly.
- Now you can fix the other components.
If you can go over the ceiling to reach the place where the fan is fixed,
- Disconnect the old box, in the same way explained above.
- Fix the braced fan bracket properly.
Do You Need Bracing for a Ceiling Fan?
A bracing plate will extend the weight that the electrical box can hold. It also acts as internal support for the fan hanging. You need to select a bar in accordance with the weight of the fan you are going to fix.
How Much Does Repairing a Ceiling Fan Cost?
The technician fees will be around $50- $100 per hour if it is a repair. If you are installing a new fan, it will cost you about $248. The price may vary according to the nature of the task.
Conclusion
This article includes the weight bearings with a brief explanation and some essential tips on upgrading a ceiling fan.
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