How to Take Down a Ceiling Fan? Here’s how To Do It Safely

Ceiling fans are an absolute must-have for millions of homeowners. They are one of the most effective ways of keeping rooms cool, and comfortable, and can even keep a bedroom at the optimal sleeping temperature when used along with an AC unit.

However, sometimes you will need to take them down. Styles can become outdated, and need to be replaced with a new modern, more on-trend fan. Sometimes cleaning and maintenance is necessary, and you will need to get into the mechanism of the fan. Whatever the reason, you need to know how to take down a ceiling fan, and more importantly, how to do it safely.

Also read: how many blades are best on a ceiling fan?

What You Will Need

Before you begin removing your ceiling fan, you should gather everything you will need. Some tools will depend on the type of fitting the fan has, and whether or not it has lighting fixtures built in. As a general rule, you will need:

• A step ladder
• A screwdriver or Allen key
• Non contact voltage tester

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Removing A Ball And Socket Ceiling Fan

1. Turn off the electrical power at the electrical panel. 
2. Using the step ladder, remove the metal canopy covering the mounting bracket. Unscrew the screws to remove this, and keep in mind you may need to use a short screwdriver to reach all the screws. Lower the canopy to rest on the fan. 
3. Test to make sure there is no electrical current using your voltage tester. 
4. Remove the wire nuts, and the wires. Put the nuts back on the wires coming from the ceiling as it will prevent any accidents if you have to turn the power back on. 
5. Hold the fan tightly, and slide the ball at the top of the fan pole out of the mounting bracket. 
6. Lower the fan to the ground, or pass to a helper, if you have one. 
7. The mounting bracket is usually attached to the electrical box by two screws. Unscrew them and remove the bracket. Put the screws back into the electrical box to make sure they don’t get lost.

Great read: ceiling fans for bedrooms

Removing A Flush Mounted Ceiling Fan

The steps for this are slightly different from the previous type of fan. Flush mounted fans need to be taken apart more before they can be take from the ceiling. However, some steps are the same. Always make sure that there is no electricity going to the ceiling fan before you start working on it. Always make sure you can access the fan safely using a step ladder. 

1. Turn off the power going to the fan. 
2. Using a step ladder, access the fan, and remove any and all light bulbs and light bulb covers. 
3. If your ceiling fan has a light kit, remove it. The light kit is often separate, and exactly how you should remove can vary from model to model. Most models have a separate section for the light kit so it can be removed easily. Unscrew all the screws around the light kit, and disconnect the wires. You should also use a voltage tester to make sure that there is no current going to the fan. 
4. Use a screwdriver to remove the fan blades. Most fan blades have two sets of screws – one attaching the blade to the bracket, and a second attaching the bracket to the fan body. You should only unscrew the screws from the bracket to the body. 
5. Next you can unscrew the screws holding the body to the ceiling. Make sure you have a tight grip on the fan.
6. Many modern design fans have screws on one side of the bracket, and a hinge on the other. Unscrews the screws, and allow the fan to hang while still connected to the hinge. 
7. Remove the wire nuts. Disconnect the wiring. 
8. Remove the fan body from the hinge. Most hinges have a small bar that slips out to disconnect the hinge. Lower the body of the fan to the floor, or pass it to a helper if you have one. 
9. The mounting bracket on the ceiling can be removed next. Unscrew the screws connecting it to the electrical box in the ceiling. Place the screws back inside the electrical box. 

Safety Tips

There are some safety tips that you should always keep in mind when working with electricity within your home. 

• Most circuit breakers will have separate circuit breakers for different areas of your home. If you can’t find the right one, turn off the main breaker. Some circuit breakers have a lock that can prevent others from turning the breaker back on. If yours has a lock, use it. 
• If your home has a older model fuse panel, remove the fuse. If you can’t find the right circuit, shut down the power to the whole house. Keep one hand in your pocket when removing the fuse, so that you’re not handling it with both hands. 
• You may also want to leave a note at the distribution box to let any electrical workmen know that you are working on the circuit. 
• Always check that the circuit is dead before you begin working on any wires. Use a socket tester, or a voltage tester. 
• As rubber doesn’t conduct electricity, wear rubber soled shoes or boots. 
• Make sure you use high quality tools, such as pliers, and screwdrivers, as cheaper quality tools may snap or break, causing accidents. 
• Also, make sure your tools have rubber coated handles to help prevent any electricity going through your body. 

Final words

We hope that you liked our tips on how to take down a ceiling fan.

Next Up

We’ve talked about how safe or dangerous ceiling fans are in another article. Check that one out too!

Will you be installing another fan in the older one’s place? If yes, check our how-to-install guide.