Ceiling Fan Clicking Noise: [9 Easy Ways to Fix the Fan Noise]

Ceiling fans make your room feel about 4 degrees cooler than it records on the thermostat. Unfortunately, ceiling fans are not so great when they make irritating noises, sounding like clicking or rattling. 

Loose screws or loose fan parts are often the reason for noises such as clicking, humming, or rubbing. So, make sure to tighten any loose blades or screws with a screwdriver.

This article covers all of the most apparent reasons why ceiling fans make noise and, most importantly, how to fix these issues. Read on to learn the most likely reasons why your ceiling fan makes a clicking noise.

Why Does My Ceiling Fan Click?

Noisy ceiling fans can be highly irritating. To repair your ceiling fan correctly, it’s essential to identify what makes your annoying ceiling fan noise. Here are some of the most common reasons that residents may experience: 

• The fan blade is not in the correct position. For example, it’s curved upwards or downwards, making the fan out of balance and wobble, producing a rubbing noise.

• The motor has lost its greasing or lubrication, making a grinding noise.

• A part of the fan is loose and makes a clicking or rubbing sound.

• The down switch of your fan is not in the place of the mounting bracket. As a result, the ball in the mounting bracket does not occupy the groove, making a clicking noise.

• The head portion of your fan is loose and producing an electrical buzzing sound.
• Your fan is striking with the light fixture, producing an annoying noise.

• The light fixture on the fan is loose and needs to be tightened using a screwdriver.

• Dust in the fan motor or blades may vibrate or rub noise. 

• The pull chain of your fan may be hitting the light kit. As a result, it can produce wobbling and rattling noises. Shorten the chain immediately or figure out why the fan is making irritating noises.

How To Fix a Noisy Ceiling Fan?

Clean the Fan Blades 

Dust on the blades throws the blades out of balance and may make your ceiling fan shake and wobble. With a damp cloth, clean both sides of the blades. The topsides will be much messier than the bottom sides. 

While you are cleaning, be sure that each blade is not damaged, curved, or hanging lower than the other blades. Because curved, damaged, or loose fan blades can be very hard on the fan motor and the mount.

Check The Fan Canopy 

If you take a close look at your ceiling fan, you’ll notice an upper canopy that masks the transition point into the ceiling. Although the canopy has tightly adhered to the ceiling, it can loosen over time.

Tighten the canopy back into place. You can also use a locking fluid on the fasteners so that the top doesn’t lose over and over again.

Check for Loose Blades

Several different components can become loose on a ceiling fan and make something noisy. The first components to check are the blades—ceiling fan blades are usually attached to the amount on the assembly. They generally have a decorative appearance, but they’re more operative than you might realize. 

Due to the blades’ rotational speed, the fasteners within the mounts can slacken over time. Tighten all the loose screws as required. In many situations, you can quiet your noisy ceiling fan with this step. 

Wiggle and Tighten Each Of the Blades 

Loose blades can also produce noise, as flexible blades wiggle from side to side when rotating. Use a screwdriver to ensure all blades are tightened well.

Frequently check the blades after some days to check whether they are in the correct position and in good condition.

Ensure The Fan Motor is Well Lubricated

Fan motors use greasing as a way to decrease friction during movements. A buzzing noise often occurs if greasing is lacking. Locate the fan motor if a noisy ceiling fan is a problem.

Add some drops of oil to the dry motor to make it well-lubricated. If the buzzing sound remains after successful greasing, the motor may crash down. Call a professional electrician to fix this problem.

Inspect the Globe on the Light Kit 

Modern ceiling fans come with light installations meaning two features are combined into one appliance. Maybe the cover or globe on the light fixture of your fan is loose.

Locate the globe and check its screws. Please take this opportunity to remove the globe, wash it, and recheck the bulb that is still connected to the fan. The bulb can also be replaced if needed.

Reattach the globe while strictly tightening the screws. Now, your fan should operate without any irritating noise.

Check all the Screws and Mount

If your fan is not properly connected to the ceiling, it can cause noise upon switching it on. This is because the fasteners used to attach the ceiling to the fan can become drooping over time. These loose screws can produce a clicking or squeaking sound whenever the blades are rotating. 

So it is advisable to keep observing your fan regularly to ensure all the screws are there. And if you find a damaged or missing one, consider purchasing one since it can lead to your fan breaking.

Loose Screws 

If your ceiling fan makes a rattling noise, the culprit could be loose blade screws or lag screws. Also, check for the screws that connect the ceiling fan blades to the motor. If they are open, you can tighten them up.

If a ceiling fan blade is loose, it can destroy your place or injure people in your home. While fan fitting, you should make sure there are no loose or open screws inside the motor assembly. Tight all the screws connected to your appliance but be sure not to tighten them too much because it can also create a problem for you. 

Balance the Blades 

Some ceiling fans are defectively constructed and use cheap materials for the blades, leading to the wobbling of your fan.

If the blades aren’t balanced, the fan shakes when it rotates. You can purchase a balancing toolset to fix a noisy ceiling fan. Then, follow the instructions in the manual to fix those weights to each blade, and you can do it with little effort.

1. Check The Pull Chain

Still, conventional ceiling fan models come with a pull chain. Pull chains are usually fixed away from any rotating parts, but sometimes they can produce an irritating noise.

When the fan is at a higher speed, check the pull chain. It shouldn’t hit any parts of the blades or light fixtures. However, if it has a swinging movement, that means the blades aren’t perfectly balanced.

Shorten the chain if the blades are in the correct position. Because it only needs to be long enough for convenient access.

2. Secure The Junction Box

Maybe your noisy ceiling fan has problems that arise from a part that’s not even visible. All fans come with a junction box containing wires and act as a central ground for the connection point.

Remove the top mount from the ceiling to open the junction box. Inspect if the box is open or loose from the ceiling. Consider tightening all the connections and then reattaching the top mount. Mostly a simple tightening of these screws will stop a ticking sound.

Different Ceiling Fan Noises May Help You Identify What The Problem Is

Your ceiling fan can make a rattling sound, humming noise, buzzing noise, rubbing noise, grinding noise, clicking noise, or squeaking noise due to different technical and mechanical problems:

• A rattling sound may tell a part of your fan is loose. 
• A squeaking noise may tell your fan has lost its lubrication. 
• When two moving parts of the fan touch each other, they cause a rubbing noise.
• Loose screws or parts of the fan make a clicking noise.
• A defective motor may produce grinding noise.
• If your fan has an electrical issue, it will make a buzzing sound.
• If your fan’s parts are not correctly secured, they will make a humming noise. 

Ceiling Fan Noise Related Frequently Asked Questions

Why is My Fan Making a Popping Noise? 

Ceiling fans can reduce electricity bills by a significant number, but if your ceiling fan causes a lot of noise, it cannot be delightful. However, loose screws or loose parts of the fan often make popping and other noises. Tighten any loose fasteners with a screwdriver.

Typically, when the fan motor operates, the vibrating portion of the fan can produce noise if there is a problem with it.

To quiet a noisy ceiling fan, find the fan owner’s manual and read through it to understand the machine’s components and pinpoint the source of the problem. Also, consider following the solutions mentioned above to fix a popping ceiling fan. 

Why Does My Hunter Ceiling Fan Make a Clicking Noise? 

Loose blade or blade holder screws most often cause clicking noises in your hunter ceiling fan. This problem generally requires only a kit of screwdrivers. 

With the help of a screwdriver, carefully tighten the fasteners. Avoid tightening fasteners too much, as this may cause damage.

Is a Noisy Ceiling Fan Dangerous? 

Ceiling fans are an excellent choice for your home’s cooling and air conditioning system. However, when something is not good with your ceiling fan, it can create irritating sounds that can be troublemaking. 

These sounds can keep you up at night, and, in critical cases, these are likely to pose a risk to your family.

When Should You Get Professional Electrician Help to fix a Clicking Ceiling Fan?

It is essential to call an HVAC professional to address the following issues you have with your ceiling fan as soon as possible:

• If you ever feel a strange smell accompanied by a sizzling noise coming from your ceiling fan, undoubtedly, you have a cheap drive capacitor. In this case, you should call a professional electrician and replace it as soon as possible.

• If you ever hear strange noises accompanied by a spark coming from the fan motor, you should immediately discontinue using the fan until maintenance can be done by a professional. 

• Sometimes the fan’s motor can ignite fire because of any mechanical or electrical issue. Unfortunately, the fire can go undetected for several minutes because the wiring for most ceiling fans is enclosed in the ceiling, thus increasing the danger for your family.

Conclusion

I hope you have learned about all the common reasons and their solutions when it comes to making your noisy ceiling fan quiet. 

If none of these solutions fixed your ceiling fan and its irritating sounds, it’s now clear your ceiling fan is defective, and it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. I would recommend switching to a higher-quality ceiling fan.