Why is my Ceiling Fan Making Noise?

Ceiling fans are an absolute necessity for any home. During those hot summer months, they help cool down rooms and can provide added comfort for any family. In the winter, they can improve airflow to improve the efficiency of a heating system. Over time, ceiling fans will actually save homeowners money!

Occasionally, we encounter those annoying rattles, clicks, and hums our ceiling fans make. I’m guessing that’s why you’re reading this and I’m here to tell you what could be causing your problems. Be sure to educate yourself on the potential risks, as these noises can cause further damage to the fan and you may need to consult with a professional to fix them.

Why is my Ceiling Fan Humming?

The most common cause of an annoying humming sound is the speed dimmer. It’s common to see dimmer switches used for lights, but a lot of people use dimmer switches to control their fan speed as well. Our suggestion at Great Pros would be not to do this. You likely won’t notice any humming during the daytime, but if you run your fan while trying to sleep, the hum can become very obvious and annoying. Speed dimmers won’t only cause annoying humming, but they can also be dangerous and damage a fan's motor. They can even be a fire hazard which should always be taken seriously. If this is your issue, we would suggest having your speed dimmer replaced with standard speed controls.
The second cause of humming is your receiver being bad. If you control your fan with a remote, you may be experiencing a bad receiver. Bad receivers may receive a weak signal from the remote and this results in a humming noise. To solve the problem, you can connect the fan directly to the power source, or have one of our professionals help you out. If the humming stops, you will know that this was the issue.
It is possible that removing the receiver won’t solve your problem. If that’s the case, bad capacitors may be the culprit. To fix this, you might want to try changing the switch up and/or the capacitors. When capacitors are an issue, your fan’s voltage levels will be low. These low voltage levels cause the motor to work harder and eventually it will become damaged. When multiple fans are on the same circuit, low voltage will result which will cause the humming noise.

Why is my Ceiling Fan Rattling?

The main cause of a ceiling fan rattling is loose screws. If the screws are located where the fan blades connect to the motor, you shouldn’t have any issue tightening them yourself. If these screws aren’t tightened, the blade can potentially come loose, causing danger to your family. When checking loose screws, make sure no screws are loose in the motor housing as well. All screws should be tight, but not too tight.
Wire connectors are the second cause of rattling. If you would like to check this, make sure the power is turned off before doing so. All wire connectors should be secure so they aren’t moving against each other to cause rattling.

Why is my Ceiling Fan Clicking?

A clicking noise from your fan can be a direct result of your fan not being balanced. To fix this, you may want to use a balancing clip on any of your fan blades. Essentially, this will clip on and adjust the weight distribution of your blades. The check if the clicking or wobble stops, try placing the clip on each blade and repeating until the problem has been solved.

Need Help?

We hope the information provided will be useful to you. If you still need assistance with your ceiling fan, please let us know how we can help. If you need a ceiling fan installation, we can help you with that as well if you just click here. Great Pros is an Arizona company connecting homeowners with trusted and reliable home service providers. We are here to help with any of your home needs and can guarantee a quality service.