Install a ceiling fan
Most of the work in a ceiling fan install is assembly. The part that decides whether it’s safe is the box above it. A fan needs an electrical box made and marked for fan support and fixed to the framing. A box made only for a light won’t carry it. Our guide is your ceiling box rated for a fan? shows how to check, and what to do if it isn’t.
Every time: turn off the breaker, not only the wall switch, and confirm the wires are dead with a non-contact voltage tester. Follow the fan’s own wiring diagram, and use its balancing kit if it wobbles.
Electrical rules depend on where you live. In Ontario, homeowners must file a notification with the Electrical Safety Authority before any electrical work, even small jobs, and elsewhere a licensed electrician may be required. See do you need a permit. Related jobs: Replace a light fixture and Replace a light switch.
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Job
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- Tile a shower 11
- Build a shed 8
- Build a deck 7
- Tape and mud drywall 7
- Paint a room 6
- Patch a hole in drywall 6
- Install a backsplash 5
- Replace a light switch 5
- Change a furnace filter 4
- Frame a wall 4
- Install vinyl plank flooring 4
- Unclog a toilet 4
- Finish a basement 3
- Fix a garbage disposal 3
- Fix a leaky faucet 3
- Fix a sticking door 3
- Unclog a drain 3
- Fix a door that won't latch 2
- Fix a leak under the sink 2
- Fix a running toilet 2
- Flush a water heater 2
- Install a GFCI outlet 2
- Install a dishwasher 2
- Install a smart thermostat 2
- Install baseboard trim 2
- Regrout tile 2
- Replace a kitchen faucet 2
- Replace a toilet 2
- Caulk a tub or shower 1
- Replace a light fixture 1
- Replace a shower cartridge 1
- Replace an outlet 1