How To Repair A Ceiling Fan Light Pull Chain

Is Your Ceiling Fan Chain Stuck? (We Have An Piece of cake Fix)

Ceiling fans amend condolement and air quality, that is when all of their components are working. Nevertheless, the chain can get stuck and hinder its performance. Follow along as nosotros explore what you lot tin can do when your ceiling fan's chain gets jammed.

A ceiling fan can be an excellent addition to any abode for both aesthetics, comfortability, and saving energy. In the winter, you tin have the benefit of enjoying warm air beingness pushed downward into your living areas. Whereas, in the summertime, the fan will draw the excess warm air up and away.

Near of these ceiling fans are operated by a pull switch that adjusts both the lighting and speed. However, one of the virtually common issues among ceiling fan owners is a broken pull concatenation. More specifically, a ceiling pull concatenation that is stuck and not performance correctly. If you're experiencing this issue, you lot're in luck because it's a relatively simple gear up.

The pull chain is ultimately attached to the switch, and over fourth dimension information technology can jam, preventing you from being able to pull it. In this instance, the best solution is to supervene upon the entire switch organization. Thankfully, ceiling fan companies are aware of this issue and have fabricated the whole process very simple.

We'll explain all of the steps you need to accept in order to swap out the quondam switch and get your ceiling fan to function correctly again. There is no need to telephone call in a specialist equally this is extremely easy to exercise.

Related Content: Most Common Ceiling Fan Problems | Ceiling Fan Pull Concatenation Stuck? | How To Take Down A Ceiling Fan

Disassembling The Fixture Housing

Before yous begin replacing the ceiling fan pull switch, you need to remove the housing. Follow the below steps to properly access the switch surface area.

For safety, turn off the power at your circuit breaker. You'll nearly probable find your circuit breaker in a closet, basement, or perhaps outside your home. Open the circuit breaker'south outer encompass and completely plough off the ability for the entire room that y'all will be working in. You desire to ensure that electricity doesn't crusade whatsoever moving fan parts while y'all're working. If you're unsure of which switch coordinates to the room with the ceiling fan, y'all tin can cut off all of the ability for safety.
Take out the light bulbs to prevent breakage. In order to reach the ceiling fan safely, you may need to prepare a step stool or ladder. Unscrew and remove the light bulbs and put them in a safe, soft place for later. If your particular ceiling fan has whatsoever globes or sconces fastened to information technology, you can remove these easily with a screwdriver.
Using a screwdriver, unscrew the screws that are belongings the fixture in place. The main housing of your ceiling fan that contains the switch volition be attached together with a few screws. Utilize a screwdriver to remove them and loosen the fixture so that the switch and wiring are visible. Make sure everything that you are removing is kept in a safe spot to exist reattached at the end.
Locate and remove the nut on the side of the fixture. There will be a small nut visible on the side of the fixture that you'll need to unscrew in order to admission the switch.

Rather spotter a video, click on the 1 below.

Installing A New Fan Switch

If your ceiling fan'due south pull chain is jammed, the easiest fix is to install a new switch completely. In one case you've turned off the ability and removed the outer housing, swapping out the old switch with a new one is a relatively simple undertaking.

First, you'll need to head to your local home improvement store to purchase the replacement switch. We recommend taking a picture or writing down information about your erstwhile switch in order to make sure that yous're purchasing the correct one. However, if y'all need whatever assist, you tin can e'er consult the employees at the shop as they oftentimes accept a wealth of data.

Step 1: Disconnecting The Old Wires

One time you've secured your replacement switch, you can disconnect all the wires attached to the old one. Take a photograph of the existing setup before taking anything apart so that you lot know how to reassemble it all.

Disconnecting the wires can hands be done by twisting or pulling off the connectors, holding them together, and then allowing you lot to remove the erstwhile switch.

Step 2: Prepping And Installing The New Wires

To properly permit the electrical connection to laissez passer through the wires of the new switch, you lot'll need to strip the insulation off the ends. Using a wire stripper, remove virtually 0.5 to 0.75 inches of insulation. To strip, cutting into the insulation first and and so pull it to the end of the wire.

Using the photo that you took of the original setup, locate the old wires that your new wires will need to be connected to. Nearly wires are color-coded, so this step should exist relatively easy. Tightly twist the wires together in a clockwise motion and comprehend them with a twist-on connector. Make sure that the connector covers the entire blank wire.

Pace three: Putting The New Switch In Identify

At this point that you'll need to locate the pocket-size nut that you lot removed from the outside of the ceiling fixture. This nut is what will hold your new switch into identify within the housing. Place your new switch into the housing and concur it in position while screwing the nut dorsum on the outside of the fixture.

Footstep 4: Reassembling The Fixture

The concluding step in this entire installation process is to put the fixture back together. With your new switch, place the section of the housing that yous removed dorsum where it belongs, over the wiring. Hold it steady and screw information technology back into place.

Put the lightbulbs that you removed back into the fixture and reattach any sconces or globes that you took off. Next, head to your circuit billow and plough the power back on.

In order to check for proper functionality, you'll want to test the pull chain. Now that you lot a have a brand-new switch, you should no longer be experiencing any problems with your pull chain beingness stuck. Pull on it gently until either the fan begins to rotate or the light turns on. Avoid using too much force on the chain, as this is ofttimes how information technology breaks.

Replacing The Pull Chain

A broken pull chain or chain that is likewise short to access is another common issue among ceiling fan owners. They're relatively fragile, and if too much force per unit area is applied, they can snap hands.

However, ceiling fan pull bondage are very easy to supplant in a few simple steps.

Open the switch. Once you've removed the outer housing and the switch using the steps outlined above, you'll need to pop open the switch using a modest sized screwdriver. Do this carefully so that nothing gets broken.
Remove the contents. Have out all of the contents of the switch, including the broken concatenation. The concatenation will be connected to a spring and disc. Using a screwdriver, remove the broken chain from the disc and discard.
Replace the chain. Just like y'all removed the broken piece, place a new, longer chain in its place. You'll want to ensure that information technology'due south long enough to reach through the fixture and exist hands attainable to pull on.
Reassemble the switch. Pull the chain through the hole and put the spring back into place. Now, reassemble the switch by putting the disc that contains both the chain and the spring back inside.
Secure the switch in place. Put the switch back into the fixture just as you lot previously removed it and secure by screwing in the switch nut.
Echo pace four of the previous procedure. Repeat the above "Reassembling The Fixture" steps to put the entire fixture back together.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Pull Concatenation?

It is non necessary to hire a professional for this job, but allow'southward presume that you're considering it. If an electrician fixes your stuck pull chain, information technology will cost you near $85 to $100 for materials and labor. Now, if you were to do this project on your own, you can await to pay betwixt $2 and $20 for the chain itself. Then, add in additional costs if you lot don't have the tools necessary.

Overall, information technology will toll you lot betwixt $2 and $xl depending on whether or not you need to buy tools. Fifty-fifty so, you're still saving over half the amount it would cost to hire a professional. All the same, you can salvage fifty-fifty more if yous cull to borrow tools from your friend, family fellow member, or neighbour.

What If I'yard Not Practiced At DIY Projects?

If you're uncomfortable with a task like this i, and then, of grade, it may be better if you don't exercise it. You can always ask a friend who knows what they're doing to come up and teach you lot. We all need to start somewhere! Don't feel bad about asking for help.

Wrapping it Up

A ceiling fan pull chain that is stuck or jammed is a very mutual issue and is piece of cake to remedy. The pull concatenation is fastened to the switch, and the easiest way to ready this problem is to install an entirely new switch.

After detaching the housing, removing the former switch, and replacing it with the new one, your ceiling fan and pull chain should exist working like normal again. Now you can enjoy all the many benefits that come with a properly functioning ceiling fan!

For more than mutual home problems and their fixes, check out: "Garbage Disposal is Leaking From The Lesser? (We Have a Fix)" and "Kwikset Latch Won't Retract? (We Have a Quick Fix)."

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Jessica Stone

Jessica considers herself a home improvement and pattern enthusiast. She grew up surrounded by constant abode improvement projects and owes most of what she knows to helping her dad renovate her childhood home. Being a Los Angeles resident, Jessica spends a lot of her time looking for her next DIY project and sharing her love for dwelling house blueprint.

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