Berkeys / Berkeys Blog

October 20, 2016

Tips for Cleaning a Ceiling Fan and Ceiling Fan Maintenance

When is the last time you cleaned your ceiling fan? Like any other home appliance, regularly cleaning a ceiling fan is important to ensure optimal performance. Light maintenance such as replacing blades and keeping the ceiling fan from shaking, wobbling, or squeaking is necessary to keep the fan running smoothly. Cleaning fans properly also help with longevity.

When it comes to ceiling fans, one thing that you generally don’t want to hear is a grinding noise. Here some tips for Ceiling Fan Maintenance.

Tips for Ceiling Fan Maintenance

Maintenance ceiling fans are very important in our homes as they cool our rooms in summer and warm them in winter. In addition to extending life expectancy, maintaining a ceiling fan can help to avoid potential safety hazards as a result of faulty fans. Although ceiling fans are made to work for years and don’t require regular maintenance, they will need some at some point. If your ceiling fan has not been damaged, doing maintenance service is very easy. Below are some of the maintenance tasks that you can perform on your fan.

• Clean out the fan. Cleaning a ceiling fan should be done at least once a year. You, however, need to reach it first by standing on a stool or something elevating. Start by cleaning the blades with a brush and then use a damp cloth that has been dipped in soapy water to remove the remaining sticky stains. Leave the fan to dry on its own before using it again. You can easily find a fan brush from any home equipment store near your house. Also, you can vacuum out the motor as dust can accumulate on it and cause a fan to run slow.
• Tighten all screws. Ceiling fans are made of different parts that are put together using screws. While the fan is running, it generates small vibrations that loosen some of those screws. You can detect loose screws through a noisy or shaky fan. Simply use a screwdriver to tighten back those screws with a special focus on the fan, ceiling plate, and the light fixture – if available.
• Lubricate the fan. Some ceiling fans require periodic lubrication to operate smoothly. Use any light oil (similar to the oil used on a sewing machine), to fill the oil hole that is located on the top side of the motor. Fill this hole till the oil flows over and rinse the excess with a tissue or rag.
• Check for movement.It is important to check your ceiling fan for movements or wobbles. The center of the fan should not make any side movement while the fan is in operation. If it does, the fan needs to be balanced. You can use a fan balance kit to do this. Also, it is important to note that a faulty blade may cause a fan to wobble. Check to see if there are parts missing on blades. Lastly, it is important to check if there is any bent or warped blade. You can do this by removing all blades and place each on top of another. The blades should fit perfectly on top of another.

There is nothing more obnoxious than lying down to sleep, resting comfortably under your ceiling fan, and then all of the sudden experience a buzzing noise. If you are having this kind of trouble with your ceiling fan, the following are some recommendations for correcting the problem. If for any reason you are running your fan without blades or missing one or two blades, you could be hearing a buzzing noise. While you would think that running a fan with the blades on is common sense, you would be surprised.

How Important To Maintain Your Ceiling Fan

It is important to also note that fans are not designed to run on light dimmer switches as these can either cause the fan to shake or wear out quickly. You should have the right fan switch installed to avoid this problem. A good fan switch should have both an on and off switch as well as a fan speed regulator. With proper maintenance, your fan can run for ages without any trouble. Call us for your home service and repair needs.