Can Ceiling Fan Motors Be Replaced? How Much Does It Cost?

It is frustrating to see your ceiling fan stops working, you think it is the motor, it can be a burden for you if you are not familiar with ceiling fans or you are afraid of working with them on a ladder. The questions are can ceiling fan motors be replaced and how much does it cost to get them changed?

Ceiling fan motors can be replaced between more or less $100-300, on average. Higher-end fans may be more expensive to repair the motor, up to $450. It is a possibility but difficult, to repair a ceiling fan all by yourself. Lastly, you might be thinking to change the entire fan if it is a cheaper option than the repair.

In this guide, I will tell you the reasons ceiling fan motors burn out, how they’re replaced, and other related information that can be beneficial for you.

Contents

Do Ceiling Fan Motors Go Bad?

Any type of machinery can burn out or go bad and the motor in ceiling fans is no exception. This will result in the reduction of speed followed by the fan stopping. The ceiling fans also face other issues that can make you think the motor is the culprit.

Let’s go through the potential reasons in more detail.

It Might Be the Capacitor

In many cases, ceiling fan users can assume that the motor is going bad whereas it is the capacitor, but with many complicated electrical issues, the main culprit can be hard to find. For instance, if your ceiling fan hums or buzzes but not functioning, it is certainly happening because of a bad capacitor.

Another reason to assume that the capacitor is the reason is if your ceiling fan is stuck on one speed and won’t change the speed, also turning off.

Do not worry, a ceiling fan capacitor replacement is a cheap solution that can cost up to $10 only if you can fix it by yourself. If you get professional help, it can cause an additional cost.

It Might Be Loose Wiring

Before you finalize that it is the motor, which is hard to deal with, examine the wiring. loose connections between the switches, power source, capacitor and motor can result in some weird failures. The malfunctions are the fan is randomly turning off, running at an improper speed or the malfunctioning light.

How To Tell If Your Ceiling Fan Motor Is Burnt Out

If you think that the motor of the fan is not working, this is the time to break out the multimeter and make sure.

To test if a ceiling fan motor is burnt out, you need to follow these steps:

Suspend the fan from its hanging mechanism. If your fan does not support it, get additional help to hold the fan.
Examine the capacitor for visible damage. If a capacitor is bad, the damage will be visible including burning or melting.
From all electrical inputs, check power, starting at the motor.
If the motor is receiving the power, but the fan does not work, it indicates that the motor is gone bad.

If the motor of the ceiling fan is failing, you will see the reduced speeds, or in the previous section, the fan may stop working.

Can Ceiling Fan Motors Be Replaced?

Ceiling fan motors can be replaced, specifically if it is a type that is simply connected. If that is not the case, it requires an in-depth repair you may want it to be fixed by a technician. Ceiling fans are identical but the inside of the motor housing is entirely dependent on the model you are using.

The Cost To Replace Your Ceiling Fan Motor

The price will be around $80 to $300 to change your motor of the fan, but the cost can increase and reach up to $450 if the motor and the fan are high-end. It may be good for you to purchase a new ceiling fan keeping in view the model of the fan. The decision also depends on you as the user.

How To Change a Ceiling Fan Motor

The repair cost of the high professional compels you to repair the motor by yourself. It is not that difficult. First, you need to find out that it is cheaper to repair than purchase a new unit, and for cheaper fans, it is not justified.

If you have a good fan, you might consider repairing it. I highly against to do this if you are not familiar with some electrical or mechanical experience. In this case, it is better you leave it for the electrician.

These are the steps to you need to follow to change your ceiling fan motor, should you decide to do so:

From the corresponding breaker box, disconnect the power to the ceiling fan.
Use the hanging mechanism of the fan or get an extra pair of hands to hold the fan.
Detach the light bulbs and loosen the screws holding the shades.
Remove the shades.
Unscrew the screws holding the light kit to the motor.
Take down the light kit, which is the part holding the motor to the fan blades.
Unscrew the screws using screwdriver that hold each blade to the motor, removing the blades.

The next steps are based on the type of fan you are using. Some fan motors simply connect to the housing while the rest of them require to be unwired.

To find out the following steps, go through the manufacturing details of your specific fan model.

How Long Do Ceiling Fan Motors Last?

Most ceiling fan motors last for more or less ten years, depending on how heavily you have used them, but that’s not a fixed number in any way. Anything electrical or mechanical will deteriorate as its parts are used and suffer wear and tear.

Environmental factors also play a vital role including humidity, friction, electrical damage from power surges, and a lot of other factors they face.

A cheap ceiling fan that is spinning day in and day out will not last as long as high-end ceiling fans only utilize when someone is in the room. In general, the fan may not last more than 5 years if that long.

The fan in the latter example may last for a decade or more.

Final Words

It is very unpleasant to know that your ceiling fan stopped working, though you may find the culprit, whether it is the wiring or the capacitor instead. When the motor is burnt out, a repair will cost a decent amount. A professional is a safer choice but it is expensive. Another solution is to replace it yourself, which is only recommended if you have some mechanical knowledge.