How to Install a Ceiling Fan Without Existing Wiring

Decide the Location of the New Fan

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You’ll want the fan near the center of the room to efficiently circulate air around the space, and make sure there’s enough space on all sides of the fan for the blades to move around without any obstructions, like fire sprinklers or other light fixtures on the ceiling. You can use a tape measure to locate the exact center of the room.

Once you have a general idea of where the fan should go, it’s time to grab a ladder and the stud finder to pick a precise location. The ceiling fan and its brace box have to be supported by joists, so use the stud finder to find either one or two joists, depending on where you’d like the fan to be. The electrician will need to secure the box to either one joist or two, so locate these based on where the joists are in reference to the center of the room. Use a pencil to mark the spot.

Decide the Location of the Switch (or Switches)

Unless you already have recessed lighting installed in your living space, you’re probably adding a ceiling fan light kit, which includes a new ceiling fan unit with an attached lighting fixture. If that’s the case, you’ll need to find where to install two switches: one for the fan and one for the light. This can be handy when you aren’t tall enough to reach the pull chains or don’t like their look. Again, break out the stud finder and use it along the wall in an area where light switches would be most convenient, like near the door to the room. Use the stud finder and mark two studs, and the electrician can install the switches and new wiring between the studs.

Turn Off the Electricity to the Circuit

Don’t start drilling, wiring, or installing the ceiling fan without turning off the electricity first. Turn off the electricity on the circuit breaker to which the new electrical work will connect. If you aren’t sure how to do this, the electrician can handle it. Don’t start work without turning off the electricity first, as this can be a serious electrocution and fire hazard.

Mark and Cut the Holes for the Electrical Box

You’ve marked the location for the fan in step one, and now it’s time to take it further by outlining the location for the electrical box. If you have one joist, this is a simple step. If you’re installing the fan between two joists, you’ll need a brace and saddle to support the box and ceiling fan.

One Joist

For a fan that will attach to just one joist, use the markings you made in step one and align the electrical box to this marking. Then, use a pencil to trace the electrical box on the ceiling (or outline the template provided with your electrical box). Use a drywall saw to cut a hole along the outline.

Two Joists

For a fan that will attach between two joists, make sure you’ve marked where the two joists are, then outline the electrical box or electrical box template in the center of these two joists. Use a drywall saw to cut along the outline and create an opening.

Run Wires From the Power Supply

It’s crucial for an electrician to install new wires for the new ceiling fan and its switches. Do not attempt to handle the electrical wiring yourself, as this could result in serious injury. Your electrician will run the wiring using fish tape to pull it to the fan.

Install the Electrical Boxes

If you’re installing the fan on a single joist, you can nail the electrical box to the joist following the manufacturer’s instructions. For two joists, you’ll also need to install a brace and saddle to hold the weight of the fan. To install the electrical box between the two joists, attach the electrical box to the fan brace. Then insert the brace into the ceiling opening. Attach the brace to each joist following the manufacturer’s instructions, and place the saddle over the brace. The new wiring will run through the saddle.

Mount the Ceiling Fan and Attach the Switch Plate

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Follow the instructions included with the new ceiling fan to mount it to the electrical box. You can either have an electrician connect the ceiling fan wires or do it yourself by knowing which wires to connect when installing a ceiling fan. The typical connections are:

• A black wire to a black wire

• A white wire to a white wire

• A blue or gray wire to a red wire

• A green wire to a green wire or copper wire

Then attach the switch plate over the new fan and light switches.

Test the Ceiling Fan

Once the electrician installs the wiring and connects the ceiling fan to the power supply, the electrician or you can turn the circuit breaker back on and flip the switch to test the ceiling fan. The fan and lights should turn on and off with the new switches you’ve installed.