Add a bright new spin to your favorite living space
Replacing an overhead light with a ceiling fan and integrated light can save money on your heating and cooling bills. Although learning how to wire a ceiling fan with light takes more know-how than installing a single light fixture, we’re confident you can pull it off. The steps to wiring your ceiling fan and light combination will depend on whether you want to control it through a wall switch, pull chain, or remote control.
The most important step is to ensure a stable mounting base when installing a ceiling fan, whether it has a light or not. Every ceiling fan over 35 pounds needs to be mounted into a reinforced and approved ceiling fan box. Typically, these fan boxes have metal supports that span the distance between two ceiling joists or attach directly to one. Although many ceiling fan kits weigh under 35 pounds, some codes still require fan-rated boxes.
They’re available in several styles, including ones you can install into a finished ceiling without cutting new holes. If you’re unsure whether your ceiling box is equipped for a fan, replace it with one that is, or hire a ceiling fan installer near you to ensure a safe installation.
Before we discuss how to wire a ceiling fan with a light, you’ll want to understand what the various colors of wire do and what they control. Some ceiling fan light kits complete some of the wiring work for you by providing color-coded plugs and wires that operate either the fan, light, remote control, or all three.
If that’s the case with your fixture, the installation will be much simpler. However, knowing what each wire does is essential if you ever need to troubleshoot your fan.
Black wire from house: This is the hot wire that carries power from either the electrical panel or the wall switch.
Black wire from fixture: The black wire inside the fixture supplies power to the fan motor in your ceiling fan light kit.
White wire from house: This is the neutral wire necessary for completing an electrical circuit.
White wire from fixture: This is the neutral wire for the fan and light that corresponds with the house's neutral.
Blue wire from house: If you have a blue wire, it’s coming from a wall switch. Assume that it’s hot. Blue wires are sometimes in a three or four-way switch configuration and are uncommon in typical single-switch setups.
Blue wire from fixture: The blue fixture wire carries power to the light only.
Red wire from house: If you have one, this wire is either an additional hot wire or it connects to a wall switch. It’s also common in multiple switch configurations, where you’re more likely to see a red wire than a blue one.
Green or copper wire from house: Green-sheathed or bare copper wires are the ground wires that lead back to the electrical panel.
Green or copper wire from fixture: This is the fixture’s ground wire that protects the unit from electrical surges.
Before going further into this DIY project, let’s explore the electrical safety aspects. First, if you’re uncomfortable working with electrical circuits, now’s the time to back out of this task. You’ll be working with 110V home electrical wiring, which can cause severe injury or electric shock if you don’t follow proper safety techniques.
Before removing an old fixture or attempting to install your ceiling fan and light, run through this electrical safety checklist to ensure everything is in order.
Check that your non-contact electrical tester is working correctly by holding it up to a wire in a known live circuit and ensure it lights up.
Turn off the breaker switch at the electrical panel for the circuit where you’ll be working.
Use your non-contact electrical tester to check that the power is off to your circuit. Hold it near one of the wires or the old fixture and ensure no electrical current exists.
Turn off the wall switch if applicable.
Place a piece of painter's tape over the wall switch and the breaker switch to remind anyone else in the home that you’re working on the circuit and not to turn it back on.
Notify anyone in the house not to touch the electrical panel or wall switch during your work. You must be the only person allowed to remove the tape and turn the switches back on.
With the electricity off, remove the ceiling fan fixture you’re replacing and disconnect the wires. The wires for the house and the new fan are prepared the same way for each of the following steps.
If necessary, use a wire stripper to remove the sheathing from the house electrical cable and strip 1/2 inch off the end of each wire, including black, white, green, blue, or red. Bare copper wires are fine as-is.
Cut the fixture’s wires to a reasonable length of several inches—enough to allow you to work comfortably but still be able to tuck them into the electrical box.
Strip 1/2 inch of sheathing from each fixture wire, excluding any that have push fittings on their ends.
Ready to get started? Choose the procedure below that fits your needs to wire your ceiling fan and light. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in the fixture’s box for item-specific steps. After wiring, install the fan and light according to the package directions, which often include push fittings between the fan and light.
The most straightforward method of wiring a ceiling fan and light kit is to connect it to the home’s wiring and operate it with the pull chain switches on the fixture.
Twist the ground wires together and use new wire nuts to secure them.
Repeat with the neutral white wires.
Twist the fixture’s black and blue wires together with the house’s black wire and use new wire nuts to secure them in place.
If you like the convenience of operating the ceiling fan and light from a wall switch, you just need to change the wiring. Follow these instructions for how to wire a switch for a ceiling fan yourself.
Two house electrical cables will enter the box: the black wire from the house and the white wire from the wall switch. Twist and secure them with a wire nut.
Place a piece of electrical tape around the white wire, indicating that it’s a hot wire now.
Twist together and secure all three ground wires with a wire nut.
Twist together and secure the white neutral wires from the house and the fixture.
Twist together and secure the black wire from the switch to the blue and black wires from the fixture.
Leave the pull chain fixture switches in the “on” position to operate both features with the wall switch.
It’s extra convenient to have a wall switch for the fan and one for the light. To wire a ceiling fan with two switches, follow these steps.
Twist together and secure all four ground wires with a wire nut.
Twist together and secure the house power black wire with both white ones from the wall switches.
Label the white switch wires with electrical tape to identify them as hot.
Twist together and secure the white house wire and the fixture’s white wire.
Connect the black wire from the wall switch that will control the fan to the fixture’s black wire.
Connect the black wire from the wall switch that will control the light to the fixture’s blue wire. If there is a red or blue wire from the wall switches, skip this step and replace it by connecting the red or blue wall switch wire to the fixture’s blue wire.
Leave the pull chain fixture switches in the on position to operate each feature independently with their respective wall switches.
Controlling your ceiling light with a wall switch while leaving the fan control to the pull chain works well in bedrooms where you may want to have the light off while the fan runs.
Twist together and secure all three ground wires with a wire nut.
To create a jumper wire, use a 2- to 3-inch piece of 14-gauge wire. Strip 1/2-inch of sheathing from each end.
Twist together and secure the house power black wire with the white wire from the wall switch and the jumper wire.
Label the white switch wire with electrical tape to identify it as hot.
Twist together and secure the white house wire and the fixture’s white wire.
Connect the black wire from the wall switch to the fixture's blue wire.
Connect the black wire from the fixture to the jumper wire.
For the ultimate convenience, install a remote control on your ceiling fan and light fixture.
Insert batteries into the remote controller and set the DIP switches, if applicable, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Insert the control box into the space above the fan motor, leaving the wires free and reachable.
Connect the house power ground wire with the remote box and fixture ground wires.
Connect the house power black and white wires to the remote box's corresponding black and white wires.
Connect the remaining remote box wires to the fan and light wires according to the remote control device instructions.
Although wiring a ceiling fan with lights isn’t as complex a task as installing a ceiling fan, several things need to happen to get the installation right. Here are some tips to make the process go as smoothly as possible.
For safety, add a wire nut to any unused wires once your wiring is complete.
Performing the job in a naturally lit room in the daytime is easier than attempting the task at night with a flashlight.
If you complete this project when it’s dark, use a headlamp or battery-operated work light to see what you’re doing.
Many ceiling fans come with a hook to hold the fixture up near the electrical box so you can wire the device using both hands. Look for it in your kit, or create one with a wire clothes hanger.
Despite the temptation, install the fan blades and light covers last to avoid breaking them and make installation much more manageable.
Check the user manual to see how to change the ceiling fan direction for summer and winter use.
The installation cost for a ceiling fan and light is between $100 and $300, plus the cost of the unit if the wires are already in place.
If your home requires new wire installation or the replacement of old wires to the fan location, the entire project could cost up to $2,000. If you choose to complete the installation yourself, you’ll save on labor costs and only need to purchase the materials.
If you’re comfortable working with electrical circuits, wiring a ceiling fan as a DIY project is a no-brainer way to save money and enjoy the satisfaction of a successful job. If you want professional help, deciding who to hire to install a ceiling fan depends on your specific needs.
If there aren’t any existing wires at the new fixture’s location, you’ll need a pro to run some new wiring. Hire a local electrician to tackle the job to ensure it’s done safely and efficiently.
If your old ceiling fan needs a facelift or is having trouble operating smoothly, there are several ways to update your fixture. Hire a local handyperson to assist with any non-electrical work needed for your ceiling fan.
Often, your existing ceiling fan can accommodate adding a light fixture. The wiring is typically below the fan motor. If you’re adding a ceiling fan to where a light fixture used to be, ensure the electrical mounting box is rated for that use or retrofit one in the location. Not all types of ceiling fan mounting brackets support adding light fixtures.
Manufacturers of ceiling fan-rated boxes must indicate on the box that the unit is for that purpose. To check your model, remove the light fixture and look inside the box for wording that says it’s rated for fan use. If you don’t see words saying so, it likely needs to be replaced with an appropriate one that is rated for use with a ceiling fan.
If the fan doesn’t have a switch, connect the white wire from the ceiling to the white wire from the fan; connect the green wire to the ground wire; connect both black wires; and connect both blue wires. If yours has a switch, the white and green wires are connected the same way. However, connect the ceiling’s red wire to the light’s black wire and the ceiling’s black wire to the fan’s black wire.
Many ceiling fan-rated electrical boxes tend to be made of metal. However, some electrical boxes may also be made of heavy-duty plastic that is reinforced with metal support structures. It may also have an attachment that connects directly to a ceiling joist. If you are ever ensure, consult with a licensed professional to get their insight on best practices and whether the installation is a safe one.
