Fix or Replace: Ceiling Fans

[khorrell]

We've just moved back into our house, after a year away, and two of our ceiling fans aren't working right. Since we try not to use the AC (the kiddos are sleeping at my feet in the basement as I type), this is a big problem. I can't decide if it would be more economical to have someone try to repair them, or just get new ones. Either way, I'm probably paying for labor. Both grown-ups work long hours and we're perpetually behind on jobs. I think the fans were only about $30 each to begin with.

What do you think?

[purplefdu]

I would say poke about in the attic (or crawl space) to see if there is any obvious reason, as well as checking the fuse box or ask whomever occupied the home while you were away if there is something that happened that could explain it.

After that you can make a better judgment on replacing or repairing. I have noticed some nice Hunter fans on clearance at Home Depot (and I'd anticipate more being in clearance at other retailers since summer is over) which could make the decision easier as well.

[khorrell]

I guess I should explain the problem a little better. They both "sort of" work. One has turns on, and still even has three speeds. However, the speeds are slow, slower, and slowest. Hardly enough to move a little air. Maybe a motor problem?

The second fan appear to be dead, until my husband somehow managed to get it to turn on while he was investigating. We were delighted! Then it just turned itself off a little while later. That one I figure is somewhere in the switch, which I might be able to figure out if I had a couple of hours and a lot of patience. Unfortunately, both of those things are in short supply right now.

[lucille]

It sounds like the motor in both cases. Ironically we spent last Sunday piecing together two old ceiling fans we received off of freecycle to make one that we installed. You would be surprised how many parts for a ceiling fan you can find at a home improvement store or the Habitat restore. Things like spare blades, light kits and hanging brackets are all cheap and pretty easy to find. When you get into the motor though your going to end up replacing the main unit, at that point your better off buying a new one.

Since you already have the proper boxes in the ceiling changing one really isn't that hard. I have noticed most of the big box home stores have lowered their prices on ceiling fans, or they have started making nicer ones in the lower price points. I saw quite a few very nice ones for under $80 - $60.

[purplefdu]

We see them for $30-50 at Walmart regularly. We had a blade on our bedroom one fall off randomly in the winter (thank god not while it was on) and the landlord shows no interest in fixing it so we've been hunting the 20yr old blade pattern for a year now.

I'd definitely say head out looking for a replacement. A couple places have had "build-your-own" fans where you could pick the base, blades, and lighting. You might be able to find just the base from those to save costs.

[khorrell]

Thanks for the advice. It is unbearable to sleep without them, and the stubborn in me refuses to use the air.

[khorrell]

Update: Apparently, if you don't get the little "summer/winter" switch firmly in one direction or the other, the fan doesn't work at all. Just a little note for your troubleshooting list

[lucille]

Originally Posted by khorrell

Update: Apparently, if you don't get the little "summer/winter" switch firmly in one direction or the other, the fan doesn't work at all. Just a little note for your troubleshooting list

Aaah! That is good to know. But look at it this way. It saved you a bunch of money and effort.