How to Balance a Ceiling Fan Complete Guide

Balancing a ceiling fan is very important to the performance of a fan. A wobbly ceiling fan does not properly circulate air throughout a room; causing the fan to be inefficient when trying to add comfort to an area.

After a ceiling fan is newly installed it should be run on high speed to verify that the fan does not wobble. If the ceiling fan does wobble it could be due to certain nuts and screws of the fan not being tightened enough, the junction box in the ceiling is loose, or the fan blades are out of balance. And sometimes a ceiling fan can be properly installed and not wobble at first but after a period of time start to wobble due to consistent use.

Follow these easy steps to balance a ceiling fan:

1. Remove the canopy that is flush with the ceiling and check to make sure that the junction box is tightly secured in the ceiling. The junction box should be properly fastened to or between two ceiling joists. Then one by one tighten all of the screws and bolts that connect the ceiling fan mounting bracket to the junction box.
   
   
2. Tighten all the screws that hold the fan blades to the ceiling fan motor.
   
   
3. Visually check from below that none of the blade holders are bent out of position. A small correction is possible by gently bending the blade holder back into position.
   
   
4. Use a yardstick to track the blades. Place the yardstick vertically against the ceiling, even with the tip of one blade. Note the distance from the ceiling to the blade tip. Leave the yardstick in the same place and manually rotate the blades, measuring the distance from the ceiling to all the blades. All measurements should be the same. If not, the blade holder(s) may be bent up or down so all blade tips are the same distance from the ceiling.
   
   

Turn the ceiling fan on and check for a wobble. If the above steps do not solve the problem then use the blade balancing kit that came with your ceiling fan. Every ceiling fan is packaged with a blade balancing kit, like the one shown below.

Blade Balancing Kit: Includes: 1 plastic clip 3 balancing weights Instruction Booklet

Balancing Kit Instructions

1. Determine which fan speed causes the most wobble. This will almost always be the highest speed.
   
   
2. Turn the fan off. Select any one blade and place the balance clip half way between the blade tip and the blade holder, on the rear edge of the blade.
   Caution: Be careful to stay clear of the blades when running. If the clip is not secure, injury may result from the clip flying off.
   
   
3. Turn the fan on. Observe if the wobble is better or worse. Turn the fan off and move the clip to the next blade. Do the same for all blades and note on which blade the clip improves the wobble the most.
   
   
4. Place the clip on the blade which showed the most improvement and by trial and error move the clip in and out along the blade to find the position which most improves the wobble.
   
   
5. Once the exact position is determined, place a weight on top of the blade on its centerline, directly in line with the clip. Press on the weight firmly to ensure it is firmly attached to the blade. Remove the clip and discard.
   
   

A wobbly ceiling fan does not provide the proper amount of air circulation throughout a room; causing it to be inefficient when trying to improve the comfort level of an area.

Check out our Ceiling Fan Troubleshooting guide for other common fan problems and solutions.