garbsmj wrote:Can ceiling fans just fall on their own or what?
I've replaced 5-blade fan-and-light fixtures by myself.
Most important IMHO is to make sure there's no electricity flowing.
I turn on the fan briefly, yank the fuse, turn on the fan again. If it won't go that's step 1 complete.
Step 2 is to use one of those little current-lamp testers to make a second check. We only get one shot at this life.
I remove every thing I can in advance (blades, lamp globe, lamp shade etc), and then start unscrewing the motor unit.
Modern fans come with a chain that hooks onto the joist-thingy, so the fan motor (heavy!) dangles while you undo the 2- or 3- wires.
Older fans don't, but don't complain to me about that. As advised in earlier responses: Address your complaints to Sir Isaac (the manufacturer of the 50-year old fan
(1) having gone out of business yesterday).
A digital camera is handy to photograph the various steps along the way, also the wiring scheme - the red goes here, the yellow goes here etc.
Installation of the new fan is the reverse of the de-installation of de old.
Your most likely problem will be that the brackets for fixing to the joist bracket don't line up.
That said, I'd always rather have a second person handy to mop up blood, dial 9-1-1, serve tea and cookies etc. Better safe than sorry.
(1) Insert jokes about "This 64-year old poster is one of my biggest fans" here