Lighting Fixtures & Ceiling Fan Installation

Yes, you can replace an existing light fixture with a ceiling fan. In order to do this, you must ensure that the electrical box is securely mounted to a ceiling joist or support bracket. You also need to use a ceiling fan mount, which is almost always included when you purchase a ceiling fan. If necessary, you can buy a ceiling fan mount separately. Before inspecting the electrical box attachment, be sure to turn off the electricity to the room at the circuit breaker. If the electrical box is not securely fastened, you will need to install a support brace. This is because ceiling fans are much heavier than most lighting fixtures and you run the risk of having a ceiling fan fall on you or someone else without the proper support.

If your ceiling fan has a housing assembly at the center of the fan, then yes, you can purchase a fan light kit and add it to the fan. The housing assembly is sometimes covered by a decorative shell. This is a relatively simple project that you can complete with the fan light kit and a Phillips head screwdriver. You can find fan light kits that cost $20-50 at a hardware store.

A ceiling fan should only be flush mounted if it was manufactured with this option. Some people create a DIY flush mount by removing the electrical box or downrod. Removing the downrod can decrease stability and put the fan at risk of falling. Installing a fan flush mount that the manufacturer did not design to sit close to the ceiling can cause the blades to overheat or in the worst case, start a fire. However, you may be able to safely install the fan closer to the ceiling by removing the fan light kit from the assembly. You would then need another source of lighting for the room.

Professional ceiling fan installation usually takes about an hour if all of the wiring, switches and supports are ready to go. If the installer has to replace wiring, change the switches, or add supports, this could add another hour. If you are installing a ceiling fan in a new location, and the electrician has to run new wiring, this could take a whole day.

Yes, track lighting does require a junction box. If there is not already a junction box present, you’ll need to install it or have a licensed electrician install one. Code requires that almost all types of lights are enclosed in a junction box, which is a metal or plastic box that protects the wiring from the elements and protects you from the wiring. In this case, track lighting is no exception to the rule.

All new light switches need to be grounded. Replacement light switches do not have to be grounded to meet the National Electrical Code. This is because many older homes did not have grounding wires in the light switches, so the old style is “grandfathered in.” If you are installing a new or replacement switch into a metal box that is grounded, the switch will already be grounded via the metal screws and mounting device.

Yes, track lights are designed so that you can add segments of lights. You just need to check the capacity of the circuit that they are on before adding lights. Calculate the wattage of the new lights and make sure that the total load including the new lights stay under 80% of the acceptable wattage of the circuit to avoid overloading it.

Dimmer switches are sold with different maximum wattages including 500, 600, and 1,000 for incandescent lights or 150 watts for LED lights. Calculate how many lights you can add to the dimmer based on the wattage per light, but do not add so many lights that the dimmer is at max capacity. You should also take into account the total electrical load of the circuit where you will be adding the lights, which is likely powering other appliances in your house as well. Most circuits are 15 amps and shouldn’t be loaded with more than 12 amps, which is 1440 watts at 120 volts. Find out what else is powered by the circuit where you are adding the lights by turning off the breaker and seeing what loses power. Then calculate whether your additional lighting plus the other appliances comes in under 1440 watts all together.