Having a ceiling fan installed in a furnished room-is it doable?
March 16, 2021 12:20 PM Subscribe
My husband and I are in the market for a new bed. We currently have a King bed in a 9 X 12 bedroom and are considering having a ceiling fan installed. But when to do it? Can it be done with a bed still in place? (more inside)
We live in a townhouse and will obviously get permission first to have the fan installed (Hubby and I are not handy; we'll have a professional do the work.) We don't need one with a light, just something to circulate the air. But given the limited space in the room with the bed in place, is it possible for an installer to hook one up? We intend to have the bed delivery folks remove our old bed, so there won't be anything like a "turnaround" time when there's a big empty space in the bedroom. Is this just too complicated to deal with and should we just make do with another option (a tall, stand-up oscillating fan) instead?
We live in a townhouse and will obviously get permission first to have the fan installed (Hubby and I are not handy; we'll have a professional do the work.) We don't need one with a light, just something to circulate the air. But given the limited space in the room with the bed in place, is it possible for an installer to hook one up? We intend to have the bed delivery folks remove our old bed, so there won't be anything like a "turnaround" time when there's a big empty space in the bedroom. Is this just too complicated to deal with and should we just make do with another option (a tall, stand-up oscillating fan) instead?
How high is your ceiling? If it's 8 feet and your bed is reasonably high then I don't see why the installer couldn't just stand on the bed and work and maybe lay a sheet of plywood on top of the bed to use as a platform for doing the installation if the mattress itself was too squishy.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:33 PM on March 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 12:33 PM on March 16, 2021 [3 favorites]
How high is the ceiling? Unless you have unusually high ceilings, the installer can probably just spread a clean drop cloth and stand on the bed.
If there's already a fixture there then it'll be dead-easy
Maybe. It will if the box in the ceiling is strong enough to support the fan. If not, it will be a bit more invasive to get an appropriate box installed.
posted by jon1270 at 12:34 PM on March 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
If there's already a fixture there then it'll be dead-easy
Maybe. It will if the box in the ceiling is strong enough to support the fan. If not, it will be a bit more invasive to get an appropriate box installed.
posted by jon1270 at 12:34 PM on March 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
This will totally be possible. Like, would it be easier to install the fan if there was no bed in the room? Yes! So it will take a little longer and therefore cost you a little more. But electricians install things in tiny closets and attics and underneath your sink and in crawlspaces. They can handle working in a room with a bed in it.
You will probably need to give the room a good cleaning afterward and I would plan on washing your bedding (because it will probably get some drywall dust on it).
(Also is either the old bed or the new bed something that you could tip up against the wall temporarily?)
posted by mskyle at 12:35 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
You will probably need to give the room a good cleaning afterward and I would plan on washing your bedding (because it will probably get some drywall dust on it).
(Also is either the old bed or the new bed something that you could tip up against the wall temporarily?)
posted by mskyle at 12:35 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
In addition to the above comment about whether or not there's a fixture there already - which makes a huge difference in the difficulty, cost, number of holes one needs to cut in walls - if you're both physically capable of doing it, moving the bed parts vertically against the far wall will make it a lot easier to place a ladder and clean up the messy bits. It's a pain, but you only have to do it once.
posted by eotvos at 12:36 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by eotvos at 12:36 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
Even if there's a light there then it might still need additional work to brace the fixture box if it's not meant for a fan. It's often not strictly necessary, but IME having done it both ways, I find it to be worthwhile especially if the ceiling joists are accessible from above (i.e. from an attic).
If you want to get that bracing done and the ceiling isn't accessible from above, that's probably a 16" square section of drywall to remove and probably would need a ladder.
posted by supercres at 12:36 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you want to get that bracing done and the ceiling isn't accessible from above, that's probably a 16" square section of drywall to remove and probably would need a ladder.
posted by supercres at 12:36 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
I’d just stand on the bed and not need a ladder. Any time anything touches the ceiling there is going to be ceiling dust everywhere.
If you have a fan box up already, it’s basically trivial. If you don’t (you can guess based on when the house was built and what’s there now, but we’d still be guessing until they look) then they’d need to install an “old work” fan box, but that isn’t that hard either.
For safety purposes the rotating blades of a ceiling fan must be installed at least 7 feet above the floor. If you foresee difficulty in getting the old bed out/new bed in, then install the fan after. If you don’t, you can do it now.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:52 PM on March 16, 2021
If you have a fan box up already, it’s basically trivial. If you don’t (you can guess based on when the house was built and what’s there now, but we’d still be guessing until they look) then they’d need to install an “old work” fan box, but that isn’t that hard either.
For safety purposes the rotating blades of a ceiling fan must be installed at least 7 feet above the floor. If you foresee difficulty in getting the old bed out/new bed in, then install the fan after. If you don’t, you can do it now.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 12:52 PM on March 16, 2021
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses! Currently (no electrical pun intended) there is no fixture of any type - no light, etc) in the ceiling.
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:59 PM on March 16, 2021
posted by Oriole Adams at 12:59 PM on March 16, 2021
Well, then at least you know you will need to hire an electrician anyway.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 1:07 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Huffy Puffy at 1:07 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
I would make a point of asking so it's understood before they get there, if you don't intend to move the bed out of the way. It's not actually safe to stand on plywood on your mattress - I would do it in my house, I would not do it in yours - and it is a little unreasonable to ask a professional to do so unless they make it clear up front that's a thing they already do.
With the advent of configurable ladder-scaffolding, this might be doable with the bed in place or just pushing it aside some, but since there's going to be construction in the ceiling where there's probably insulation you're likely going to regret it, even with a dropcloth, and wish you'd moved any bedding and removable rugs beforehand.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:13 PM on March 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
With the advent of configurable ladder-scaffolding, this might be doable with the bed in place or just pushing it aside some, but since there's going to be construction in the ceiling where there's probably insulation you're likely going to regret it, even with a dropcloth, and wish you'd moved any bedding and removable rugs beforehand.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:13 PM on March 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
Yes, I agree with Lyn that this is likely to be messy, especially if it's a top floor with potential insulation and whatever other nasty stuff could be in the attic. Personally I would be inclined to move the bed, and if I couldn't, I'd strip all the bedding and double-dropcloth it. I would not want to have a small tuft of fiberglass insulation accidentally make its way onto my pillow or something.
Also, most ceiling fans I've installed or removed (I think around 6 or 7) have been fairly heavy and awkward. Hard enough to install on a stable base. I would not do it while standing on a mattress.
Finally, if there is no fixture there now, it's possible that getting power there will require more than one hole in the walls and/or ceiling (depending on whether there's access from above, and how you get the wire from source to switch to fan).
This is not a difficult project, but having a bed in the way does make it harder.
posted by primethyme at 1:42 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
Also, most ceiling fans I've installed or removed (I think around 6 or 7) have been fairly heavy and awkward. Hard enough to install on a stable base. I would not do it while standing on a mattress.
Finally, if there is no fixture there now, it's possible that getting power there will require more than one hole in the walls and/or ceiling (depending on whether there's access from above, and how you get the wire from source to switch to fan).
This is not a difficult project, but having a bed in the way does make it harder.
posted by primethyme at 1:42 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
Just tip the bed on its end or on its side and push it up against the wall.
posted by MexicanYenta at 1:55 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by MexicanYenta at 1:55 PM on March 16, 2021 [1 favorite]
FWIW, another alternative would be a wall-mounted fan.
posted by trig at 2:25 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 2:25 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]
To avoid the unstableness of plywood directly on the mattress, you could pull off the mattresses and box springs (if there are any) and lean them against the wall. If the bed has slats, remove those temporarily. Then the ladder can be put in the middle of the bed frame and directly on the floor.
But trig's wall-mounted fan solution is great idea: cheap, quick, and you can probably do it yourself.
posted by ShooBoo at 2:43 PM on March 16, 2021
But trig's wall-mounted fan solution is great idea: cheap, quick, and you can probably do it yourself.
posted by ShooBoo at 2:43 PM on March 16, 2021
supercres is right about a ceiling fan box needing to attach to a solid cross-brace on the joist, they will probably have to open the ceiling a bit to modify it, and then patch the repair. (If you just attached a ceiling fan to a regular lamp box, the spin would shudder and cause problems).
Wall-mounted is fine but the thing about ceiling fans is that they circulate air in a particular way.
posted by ovvl at 3:10 PM on March 16, 2021
Wall-mounted is fine but the thing about ceiling fans is that they circulate air in a particular way.
posted by ovvl at 3:10 PM on March 16, 2021
If you lucky [and assuming wood frame construction] your roof framing will directly in the center of the room or nearly so. If not your electrician can install this sort of box and only cut the 4" hole the box would require anyways.
Depending on how your framing is run it is sometimes possible to do this without cutting any other unnecessary holes. Other times the best thing to do is cut a wide strip of gyproc out from the mounting point to the wall.
We can get pretty creative though now especially considering there are wireless fan controls so you don't necessarily need to run a wire to the door. Let's you grab power from anywhere.
posted by Mitheral at 4:40 PM on March 16, 2021
Depending on how your framing is run it is sometimes possible to do this without cutting any other unnecessary holes. Other times the best thing to do is cut a wide strip of gyproc out from the mounting point to the wall.
We can get pretty creative though now especially considering there are wireless fan controls so you don't necessarily need to run a wire to the door. Let's you grab power from anywhere.
posted by Mitheral at 4:40 PM on March 16, 2021
Best case might be a shallow octagon box right on the joist.
(if you don't have any lamp fixture in that spot already, electricians are probably gonna make some holes to connect the wiring to there...)
posted by ovvl at 5:11 PM on March 16, 2021
(if you don't have any lamp fixture in that spot already, electricians are probably gonna make some holes to connect the wiring to there...)
posted by ovvl at 5:11 PM on March 16, 2021
Response by poster: Thanks for the additional advice. While walking through our townhouse complex, I've noticed a few units with ceiling fans (not that I browse into windows or anything). But none of our rooms have overhead light fixtures, save for the kitchen and one bathroom. That being said, there is a standard "on/off" wall switch in this bedroom that doesn't seem to do anything. Maybe there is some wiring already in place for overhead lighting/other devices? Probably a question for the landlord. Again, many thanks for all the comments!
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:55 PM on March 17, 2021
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:55 PM on March 17, 2021
The bedroom switch should control one half of one or more receptacles. If the receptacles were ever changed (or just not installed correctly in the first place) this function may have been compromised but it is easily fixed so definitely something to bring up with the landlord.
posted by Mitheral at 2:29 PM on March 17, 2021
posted by Mitheral at 2:29 PM on March 17, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by aramaic at 12:32 PM on March 16, 2021 [2 favorites]