Malfunctioning Ceiling Fan Got Your Head Spinning? Here's Who to Hire to Fix It

Ceiling fans are great for circulating air through your home and keeping you cooler on hot summer days. But if your fan malfunctions, who should you call? An electrician is your best bet for a ceiling fan repair.

Benefits of Hiring an Electrician to Repair Ceiling Fans

Unless you’re a certified electrician, you should always leave electrical repair work to a professional ceiling fan repair specialist. Messing around with wiring is dangerous and could result in anything from a shock to landing you in the hospital. Also, any repairs that require a ladder are inherently dangerous because you could risk falling.

But safety isn't the only reason to leave ceiling fan repair to a pro. If you don't install the wiring correctly, your ceiling fan won't work. Ceiling fans require some tricky wiring, including five different colored wires with specific connections, and some of the wires need to be stripped to expose the copper ends. 

In addition to wiring correctly, a professional will have experience fixing various types of ceiling fans, and they’ll ensure that your ceiling doesn't get damaged during the repair process. Local electricians are certified, trained, insured, and have all the correct equipment to do your ceiling fan repair job properly. They also know how to check to make sure your ceiling fan is safely mounted and that the fan is balanced.

Can I DIY Ceiling Fan Repair?

While you shouldn't DIY your ceiling fan for safety reasons, there are some common problems to troubleshoot with your ceiling fan. For example, if you have a remote and it's not working, an obvious step is to change the batteries before assuming the wiring is going bad. If the breeze in your room isn't strong enough, you may need to switch the direction of the blades using the switch on the fan base.

However, if you have more severe problems like a wobbling fixture, light, or fan that isn't working or suspect the wiring is faulty, call in a professional to tackle the repair.

Can I Hire a Handyperson to Repair a Ceiling Fan?

If your ceiling fan is wobbling or the blades are coming loose, there’s no need to call an electrician; you can hire a local handyperson to fix the problem. If your go-to handyperson has experience with minor electrical repairs, you can consider hiring them to rewire your ceiling fan, but there’s a higher risk that they may mess up the wiring or hurt themselves in the process. For electrical work, it’s always a safe bet to hire a certified electrician to ensure that the work is done safely and correctly.