Flush Style Ceiling Fans - Eight Installation Steps For Replacing Ceiling Light Fixtures

The flush-style ceiling fan is mounted snugly next to a flat horizontal fairly low ceiling where it is out of the way, and from where it delivers a comforting room breeze. It comes in several diameters, from about 28 to 60-inches, depending on the room size being fitted, and can cost typically from to 0.

ceiling fans with remote

It generally has three fan motor speeds, which are reversible. Except for the tools and possible other parts required for installing them, their self-assemble kits come with everything else. In many cases, the fan, which will have its own lighting, will replace a ceiling light fixture.

CEILING FANS

Safety.

The electricity must be off at the site where the fan is to be installed. If the fan is replacing a light fixture, shut down its fuse or circuit breaker in addition to flipping its wall switch to the off position. Stand on a sturdy wide-berth step stool or ladder during the installation; do not lean or get into a twisted position while there. Also, wear protective eye glasses or goggles. Furthermore, if additional auxiliary household wiring is needed, get professional advice or help first.

Tools needed.
instructions (electrical) eye glasses or goggles step-stool/ladder Phillips screwdrivers pliers electrical tape knife or sissors AC tester light wire cutter/stripper tape measure (optional) electric drill and extra screws for securing the junction box, if necessary

Installation steps (after reading the fan installation instructions thoroughly).

1. Remove the light fixture from the ceiling. With the electricity off, slowly remove the shade, bulbs, and fixture screws from the electrical junction box in the ceiling. Let the skeleton fixture hang there. With the light tester, make sure the wire connections to this fixture are cold (the test light will stay off). Cut the wires, leaving 3-5" of tail for connecting them to the ceiling fan motor assembly. If the home is old, only two wires might exist, a black one and a white one.

Tip: also check the firmness of the electrical box in the ceiling. If it is not solidly attached to the ceiling, add two extra screws to its top side, which might require drilling two holes in the box for them. The ceiling fan is heavier than the light fixture. It also wobbles slightly during operation.

2. Install the mounting bracket. After stripping the ends (½ to ¾") of the tailing wires in the junction box cleanly, install the mounting bracket to the box with the two 5/32" screw-bolts provided. Let the tailing wires hang outside of the bracket.

3. Hang the motor assembly from the bracket. Insert the topside motor-hanger into the centralized holder of the bracket. Insert the plastic lock clip that holds it into place.

Note: the hanging motor assembly is supposed to swivel slightly.

4. Connect the wiring. Generally, the motor assembly has two so-called hot wires, a black one for the motor and a blue or off-color one for the lights to be attached below it. Overlap the stripped ends of these two wires (motor and lights) together with the stripped end of the black ceiling wire in the box, and twist connect them together with the wire nut provided. Connect the white assembly wire to the white ceiling wire the same way.

Then, to keep these connections from loosening while the fan is working, tape the wide lower ends of these nuts to their wires with electrical tape. Also, attach the green fan wire (ground wire from the bracket frame) to the electrical box if the box is also grounded with a third bare or green wire. Otherwise, if the electrical box in not grounded, ask a professional about this green wire connection. Some will say to leave it be, i.e., do nothing with it. Others could suggest further wiring?

5. Install the flush-mount motor shroud. Install the motor shroud to the far ends of the mounting bracket with the small screws provided. It covers/hides the sides of the motor and the wiring and ceiling box.

6. Assemble the fan blades (4 to 6) and mount them. After choosing the top or bottom reversible blade color scheme preferred, attach the blades to their end brackets with the screws and washers provided. Then mount the blades to the bottom side of fan motor with the bolts, lock washers, and dampening gaskets provided.

Note: these latter pieces sometimes are partially pre-installed to the motor to keep them separate from the rest of the kit hardware.

Tip: to keep the motor from becoming too off-level during this step, install the blades one at a time opposite to each other to start with.

7. Install the lighting assembly. Attach the fan's lighting assembly to the small round central housing unit just below the fan blades via the quick-wire-connectors and small screws provided. Install the glass shades, bulbs, and pull-chain extenders in the order instructed.

Note: a housing cap is provided if the lighting assembly is not wanted for any reason.

8. Test the fan and lights. After turning the electricity back on, flip the wall switch to on. Set the pull-chain switches as desired. Often, the fan lighting is set to come on with the wall switch, while the fan itself is controlled by the pull-chain switch only, initially set in the off position.

Note: The ceiling fan has a reversible motor switch that allows the draft either to go upward or downward as preferred. For more information on ceiling fan installation, see the following sites.

Flush Style Ceiling Fans - Eight Installation Steps For Replacing Ceiling Light Fixtures

CEILING FANS

Replacing Aprilaire Filters

Aprilaire whole house air cleaners though very effective, can be very frustrating to say the least to replace. The most common are Aprilaire models 2200, Aprilaire 2400 and Aprilaire 2250. The
replacement cartridges for these include the aprilaire stock 201 and the Aprilaire stock 401
One of the big reasons these can be so frustrating to replace is because of the pleat spacers or large black comb looking dividers. The biggest mistake people make is to try to remove them by pulling up to high on one side in turn breaking off the other end. It can really test your patience when reinstalling them trying to get each comb finger between the pleats. You can avoid all this hassle by replacing them with a ridged style that allows you to discard the filter pleat spacers and the two black tracks that they snap into. The original replacements are MERV 10 but you can upgrade to a higher rating of 11 or 12 in the ridged style. The higher merv rating filters will remove more dust and dirt particles. These replacements can be purchased online at HVAC Maintenance and Supplies.There are some generic replacements sold for less money that can be very difficult to replace do to the quality of the filter.

If you choose to stay with the original style there are some tips that may make this task a little less stress full and maybe save you some time to do something you would much rather be doing.
First step is to be sure you order the correct replacement. This is best done by getting the model of the unit. Once you have the proper filter replacement remove the front cover of the assembly.
Slide the insert assembly out of the filter housing and lay it flat on the floor with the combs facing up. Use a pliers to grab each pleat spacer at the point that it connects to the frame and unsnap it from the track being careful not to lift it so high that you break the other end. If you have broken pleat spacers they can also be purchased online at Hvac Maintenance & supplies. Disconnect and remove all pleat spacers and the top and bottom tracks that hold them. Next unsnap and open the two book like ends of the tan frame that hold the filter. Remove and discard the old filter first taking note at how the top and bottom flaps are folded over the end tracks. If you use the new ridged style you simply place the new cartridge into the tan frame, close the book ends and reinsert the assembly back into the housing. If you decide to stay with the original style place it back into the frame as the old one was and try to evenly spread the pleats out so you can install the pleat spacers. One you put the black top and bottom tracks on take one pleat spacer and insert one comb between each pleat. When you get one complete comb installed slide it back and forth to spread the pleats out for the rest of the pleat spacers to be installed. Insert each additional spacer next to the first one you installed then slide over to where it snaps into the track. Once all the pleat spacers are in place close the frame ends and slide the assembly back into the housing.

CEILING FANS AT LOWES

Many people ask how often should these filters be replaced? They can last up to one year depending on the atmosphere of the air they are filtering. Some people will replace them every six months or more often in very dirty areas. If your home has two dogs three cats and four kids you may have to replace them more often. If you can actually seen heavy build up on the filter then you may want to increase the frequency of your changes.

This article was written by Terry Manlick of HVAC Maintenance & Supplies. Other HVAC Maintenance related articles as well as maintenance products such as vbelts, replacement filters and coil cleaners can be purchased online at http://www.mainsupplies.com

Replacing Aprilaire Filters

CEILING FANS AT LOWES