If you're looking for ways to make your home more comfortable in the summer while giving your air conditioner a break, consider having ceiling fans installed in your bedroom and other rooms like the family room and living room. Ceiling fans circulate air so the cool air is mixed well and the breeze also helps you feel a little cooler. Here's how an electrical contractor might install a ceiling fan where you want it.

Switch Out A Ceiling Light 

An electrical contractor can run new wiring up to the ceiling fan when it's necessary, but if you already have an overhead light in the room, the electrician can remove the light and replace it with a fan. You can buy a fan with a light attached so you won't lose your overhead illumination.

The electrician has to shut off the power first, then they can disconnect the wiring and take out the bracket and box that support the ceiling light. The bracket and box need to be replaced since a fan is much heavier than a light, but the old wiring can be kept and used for the fan.

When the old wiring is used for the new fan and light fixture, the new light will work the same way as the old one. Normally, that's with a light switch on the wall. The switch needs to be on to power the light, but the fan will have additional pull cords that allow it to be turned off while the switch is still on.

Attach New Support For The Fan

A ceiling fan kit comes with a box and bracket that holds the fan securely against a joist behind the drywall. The electrical contractor has to screw the support to the joist and then hang the fan and light from it. As long as the heavy fan is screwed to the joist and not just the drywall, the fan will be held in place and able to withstand vibrations from the spinning fan blade.

Wire The New Fixture

The electrical contractor attaches the wires that come with the fan to the wires that are sticking out of the ceiling. The wires include the ground wire, live wire, and neutral wire so the fan is grounded and safe to use. Once the wiring is done, the electrician can finish assembling the fan so it is ready to test.

Test The New Fan

The power has to be turned back on at the electrical panel. Then the electrician can test the fan at the light switch to make sure the light turns on and off. They'll also test the pull cords and make sure the fan blades spin as they should.

Installing a new ceiling fan doesn't take too long, so the expense is worth it. Even if you're good with home improvement chores, you probably want an electrician to install a new ceiling fan since working with electricity can be dangerous.