Are Angled Mounted Ceiling Fans Supposed To Wobble

Blades may warp and misalign over time.

Vaulted ceilings require special hardware for ceiling fan installation. Fans installed on a ceiling with a slope of about 34 degrees or more typically need a special mounting cap and a down-rod. Proper measuring, hardware and fan selection and installation typically results in wobble-free functioning. However, wobbling in angled and straight-mounted fans is common and has a variety of causes.

Angle-Mounted Fans and Wobbling

Even though the ceiling is angled, a properly balanced fan should not wobble. Caps and down-rods are usually adjustable and can accommodate inclines of up to 45 degrees. Wobble or rocking can occur if a slope is steeper than the specifications on a particular cap or down-rod, but a variety of other causes that affect straight-mounted fans extend to those mounted from a vaulted ceiling. The ceiling's slope can also sometimes account for miscalculating blade alignment and balance, since you can get blade-to-ceiling measurements at different points on the ceiling.

Bent Blades and Irons

Warped blades can cause a straight or angle-mounted fan to wobble. Turn the lights off and do a visual check for bent or warped blades. Rotating the blades may help, or you may need to replace them. The blades may also be straight but misaligned. Measure the distance from the ceiling to the top of one of the blades, then slowly turn the fan to measure the distance between the other blades and the ceiling. If any of the measurements are off, the blades need adjustment. Visible cracks or bent blade irons may also be the cause, either of which will require a repair.

Blade Weight and Other Issues

If your ceiling fan has blades that differ in weight by as little as .5 grams, the order they sit in can cause wobbling. This issue typically is apparent right after installation, not something that creeps up over time. Cheap motors can also sometimes misalign easily and cause wobbling from the center of the fan, as can an uneven pitch or center-line on the blade irons. In this case, the blade irons must be replaced, or the fan upgraded.

Fixes

If you get different measurements between each blade and your ceiling, carefully press and push on each blade to straighten or adjust it to more closely match the desired measurements. Replacing neighboring blades on a four-blade fan or opposite fans on a 5-blade fixture may solve blade weight issues. Balancing kits are also available to counter the problem and may prove effective.

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