The Genius Hack That Makes Your Wobbly Ceiling Fan Smooth & Balanced

For some people, leaving the ceiling fan on overnight is a necessity. The gentle white noise it creates masks other sounds to create a peaceful sleeping environment. If you're dealing with a wobbly fan, though, this probably sounds absurd. Wobbly fans can look as if they might fall from the ceiling at any second, and they rattle and thump and make all kinds of strange noises. Overall, they disrupt the safe, calm space you need for sleep and want to have throughout your home. 

While the loud noise and instability may make you think a professional repair is necessary, there is an incredibly simple trick that could solve your problem. It costs only a few cents, and you can get your money back any time you want. All you need to do is secure a coin to a blade of the fan.

Wobbly ceiling fans can have a variety of causes. One of the main reasons is an imbalance caused by the buildup of dust or by warping over time. Between cleanings, dust and debris will stick to the ceiling fan blades, and it's not always an even coat. When one blade is weighed down even slightly more or less than the others, the balance of the whole ceiling fan can be thrown, causing it to wobble and have odd pieces bump one another. For this reason, it's important to regularly clean your fan and try out some easy hacks that will keep your ceiling fan dust free. Luckily, you can fix the balance issue with a coin if cleaning doesn't work.

To give this trick a try, start by dusting and cleaning the ceiling fan, especially the tops of each fan blade. Be thorough in your cleaning, as sometimes a good clean is all that's needed to fix a wobble. The best method is to start by dusting each blade with a cloth before applying an all-purpose cleaner to a new cloth and wiping each blade. Also, check for any loose parts as you go.

Next, you need to determine which blade is causing the imbalance. You can do this by taping the coin to each fan blade in turn using removable tape, turning on the fan, and observing the wobble. When the coin is on the right blade, the wobble should reduce or stop. Alternatively, you can measure the distance between each blade and the ceiling at a specific point to see if any are measurably higher or lower. Tape the coin to a higher blade and test.

If any of the coin locations improve the wobble, you can glue it in place or use a stronger tape. Just be sure to regularly check the adhesive over time. Not checking the coin and having it fly off at an inopportune time could be added to the list of unexpected downsides of leaving your ceiling fan on all night.

If your fan still makes strange noises or noticeably wobbles, you may need to try out the WD-40 hack that'll silence your noisy ceiling fan or call in a professional to take a look and ensure it's safe and working efficiently.