Are your ceiling fan blades starting to look a little bit droopy? Noticing warping?
Sadly, this is a very common problem. It is also a problem that will greatly impact how your ceiling fan works.
In fact, if there is too much warping, the fan won’t be able spin properly (if at all), therefore it will lose the ability to circulate air and ultimately cool you down.
If this happens you’ll not only identify what the problem is, but to fix it.
Let’s walk you through how you can do that.
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What Causes Ceiling Fan Blades To Droop Or Warp?
There are several reasons why your fan blades may warp or droop.
Unfortunately, some of the problems can’t be fixed without a complete replacement of the fan blades, or complete ceiling fan if the problem was so serious that it’s burnt the motor out (read more about whether ceiling fans can catch fire).
Here are the most common reasons that will cause ceiling fan blades to droop or warp:
Loose Screws
One of the most common causes of fan blade dropping will be loose screws.
Thankfully, this is an easy problem to fix.
It’s very likely a screw will come loose on your fan blades at some point, so if the warping seems to have suddenly happened, this could be the cause.
Heavy Fan Blade Material
While it may look fancy, heavier fan blades (especially metal ones) can be very prone to drooping. In some cases, you may need to just straighten out the blades or tighten the screws. Nothing too bad.
It may seem trivial, but you must also remember to clean your ceiling fan regularly to remove dust accumulation. This can all add to the weight of the fan blades.
Blades That Are Too Big
Similar to the above, if you’ve replaced your fan blades in the past and used fan blades that are too large, this could mean they are too heavy and therefore cause warping or drooping.
High Humidity or Poor Temperature Control In Your Home
If you have high humidity in your home (or even regular swings between high and low temperatures), then there is a chance that your fan blades could start to warp, particularly if they are made from wood.
This is a problem that is almost impossible to fix so will likely mean you’ll have to purchase replacement blades – ideally in a material that won’t be affected by humidity and temperate changes, like plastic or metal.
Broken Ceiling Fan Blade Arms
Ceiling fan blade arms are what you use to connect the blades to the motor. Occasionally these can become damaged and misshapen, which can cause blades to droop.
If this is the case, generally the blades won’t have warped, so normally you won’t have to replace the blades, just the arms.
Poor Sealing On The Fan Blades
Finally, if you have cheap, wooden ceiling fan blades, then poor sealing of the wood could be your downfall as it will allow moisture to get into the wood. Unfortunately this will likely mean you’ll have to replace the fan blades.
How To Fix Drooping Or Warped Ceiling Fan Blades?
Replacing The Blades
In many cases, you are probably going to need to replace the fan blades. There isn’t a whole lot that you can do to avoid that. If your fan blades are warped, then they are warped. You can’t undo the process of warping.
If you do need to replace the fan blades, make sure you choose something appropriate for your ceiling fan.
You may be tempted to change the size of your ceiling fan blades but this isn’t always a good idea, so make sure you do your research first.
Dealing With Loose Screws
This is a problem that you can easily deal with. You can check every single screw on that fan and tighten them up. It will take a couple of minutes. This will fix most drooping issues.
Replacing The Blade Arms
This is a lot cheaper than having to replace the blades and quite a simple fix, but first we suggest you read about whether ceiling fan blade arms are universal.
Rotate The Fan Blades
If you have warping issues with your fan blades, then you could rotate them.
This means flipping them upside down. This will not fix warping issues, and it is not something that will work for all fans. It may not even be as effective at cooling you down.
However, in some cases, it is going to be a great stop-gap before you can find a more permanent solution like replacing the blades entirely.
How To Prevent Ceiling Fan Blades From Warping In The Future?
Prevention is always preferable to fixing something when it’s broken. So, how do you stop those fan blades from warping in the first place? Well, you have a few options:
Purchase A Quality Ceiling Fan Or Fan Blades
Try to purchase quality fan blades. Don’t get anything too heavy or too cheap. If you are going to be purchasing wooden fan blades, then make sure that you choose quality wood. It will need to be properly sealed
Ensure The Fan Blades Are Properly Balanced
When you mount the fan blades, you will need to ensure that they have been balanced properly. This means that the blades are in line with one another. One side should not be lower down than the others otherwise this can cause vibrations and cause your ceiling fan to wobble.
Regularly Tighten Screws
Every couple of months or so, you should go through and tighten each of the screws on your fan blades. This will stop them from getting knocked out of alignment, ensuring that they last as long as possible.
Keep Humidity Levels Low
If you can, look into ways that you can control the humidity in your home, especially if you have a ceiling fan in your bathroom. As we mentioned before, humidity issues will be one of the biggest killers of fan blades.
Conclusion
If your fan blades are warped or drooping, it is a problem that you need to deal with immediately. The longer you leave it, the tougher it is to rectify.
Thankfully, this can often be solved by simple methods like tightening up some screws. However, sadly, if you don’t fix the problem sooner or later, you will most likely need to replace your fan blades or worse still, the complete ceiling fan – so don’t