The worst type of constant annoying noise you hear is from your fan while trying to sleep or watch a movie.
Whether it’s a pedestal fan or a ceiling fan, if it makes noise constantly, you’ll always feel irritated.
Obviously, you can’t suffocate yourself in the hot summer; that, too, will turn your movie and sleeping time into a nightmare.
You can make your fan quieter by doing some basic maintenance and following some basic strategies.
This article is all about how to have a more peaceful experience with your fan.
Before we jump on to the solutions, let’s first figure out why a fan makes noise.
Always try to figure out the problem’s reason before jumping on to the solutions.
Why do fans make noise?
Fans don’t make noise unnecessarily.
If your fan makes noise, there may be a problem that should be addressed as soon as possible.
And when you try to look for the cause of the noise from your fan, it may not be difficult to find out.
Generally, looking at your fan is easy to find the cause.
Some of the causes of noise from a fan may be:
• The fan’s shape may have changed for any reason, like it may have been underweight in your storage room, or it may have to feel multiple times and change its shape.
• Some of its parts may have loosed because of excessive use or misuse.
• You may not have used oil or lubricant for a long period, due to which there may be friction.
• The fan may have been put on uneven ground while you’re using it, so it may be vibrating along the floor and causing the noise.
How to make a fan quieter?
When you discover the causes of your fan’s noise, it will be easy to reach out for solutions.
Below we will discuss some very easy solutions to make a fan quieter.
Level the floor
Before turning your fan on after putting it on a surface, ensure the floor is level.
If you hear the noise as soon as the fan starts, finding the culprit won’t be difficult.
It’s obvious that the fan is not put on a completely levelled floor.
Uneven surfaces can cause your fan to wobble as the blades spin, eventually causing a continuous irritating noise.
This rattling of the fan caused due to the uneven ground may even cause bigger damage to your fan if you continue to use your fan like this.
So, always check if the floor is under your fan level.
The solution to this problem is very simple.
Simply move your fan elsewhere.
Make sure the new surface is level.
If you can’t judge it just by looking at the surface, you can even use s level ruler.
If you see that you don’t have level ground anywhere in your entire house, you don’t have to worry about that too.
Use a folded piece of paper, a large book, a rug, or a carpet.
See what works best for your fan.
Set the fan on a soft surface
You must know that softer surfaces absorb noise and help in dampening it.
The softer the surface, the more noise it will absorb.
So when you hear noise from your fan, mostly if it’s a rattling sound, try to put your fan on a softer surface.
Putting a noisy fan on a hard surface like tiles, concrete, or wood can be the worst.
All the noise your fan may cause will travel through the hard surface under it, spreading through the entire surface.
So you must have understood by now that a hard surface makes the noise more irritating and loud, while a softer surface will help dampen and absorb the noise.
As already said, the biggest culprit of the noise from your fan may be the surface it has been put on.
The thicker and softer the surface, the more noise it will absorb.
If you don’t find a carpet or a rug, use a blanket or a noise-suppression mat instead.
Cleaning the fan
It’s important to keep your fan clean.
Whenever you see dust on your fan, try to clean it as soon as possible.
If the dust accumulates, it will make the fan noisy.
If a fan is not used in the winter, it may collect a lot of dust.
And even if the fan is working most of the time in the summer season, it may attract a lot of dust.
When a fan works, it generates heat, collecting dust on the blades and fan motor.
If you hear a lot of noise, your fan may be clogged.
You may need tools like a screwdriver, a can of compressed air, a cleaner, a degreaser, a soft microfiber cloth and a vacuum cleaner to clean it.
The first step is removing the protective guard or the front grille using the screwdriver.
While opening it up, keep the screws secure because you’ll need them again when you put the fan back together.
Now it would be easy to clean the grille, fan blades and the outside of the motor with a microfiber cloth and a dusting brush.
Use the vacuum cleaner to clean all the dust out of the vent openings on the fan.
And in the same way, a can of compressed air can help blow dust out of the tiny internal compartments of the fan.
This way, all the accumulated dust will be removed, making the fan work more smoothly without friction.
When there is no friction, there will be no noise.
Use a degreaser or an all-purpose cleaner to remove grime from the blades.
Remove them from the fan and soak them in water and detergent for at least thirty minutes.
When you put them back together, ensure they are completely dried up.
Now tighten the screws carefully so any loose parts will not wobble later.
To see if the fan works completely fine after all the cleaning, turn it on for a test.
Tighten the loose parts
Any loose parts that may be present inside your fan may cause the fan to vibrate when they rattle.
This may cause a very irritating noise that may continue until you tighten up the loose parts.
Usually, fan housing, fan blades, motor and mounting may get loose.
Oil the fan’s motor
To make the fan work properly, you must ensure that the fan’s motor works perfectly.
And as you may already know, the motor of every piece of machinery needs lubrication to work properly.
Your fan’s motor needs frequent and regular proper oiling and lubrication to work smoothly.
If the motor and the parts of the fan, like ball bearings, don’t get lubricated on time, your fan’s lifespan may decrease.
You can use a spray can or oil canister for this purpose.
Fan cage maintenance
Almost all box fans have a fan cage.
A fan cage is an enclosure In which the fan blades are enclosed.
It may start rattling and cracking sounds if it’s broken or damaged.
These sounds may be very irritating to the ears and may cause a lot of unpleasant feelings for you.
You can fix the fan cage, or if it’s not an option, you can buy a new one.
If the damage is not too much, you can fix it yourself.
If you find gaps in the fan cage, insert a thick rubber between them to fix the noise.
This will close the fan cage, and the motor will work properly.
You can use the adhesive to keep the rubber in its place.
This will stop the rattling sound and make your fan a lot quieter, that too without the help of an expert.
Blades alignment
Proper alignment of the blades will help maintain the fan’s balance so that it may not produce any sound.
Check if the fan’s blades are properly aligned or not.
If you find them unaligned, you may also hear the fan wobbling.
So align them properly to avoid noise.
You can call a professional for this purpose, or you can also do it yourself.
If you’re thinking about how the alignment may have been disturbed, this may be due to the being banged around.
If not treated on time, the fan may eventually stop working.
The alignment of the blades should be according to the direction of the airflow.
This way, proper air circulation will be achieved, and the noise will be reduced.
Conclusion
Whether you own a tower fan, box fan, standing fan, oscillating fan, or ceiling fan, the above strategies work for all types of fans.
Making a fan quieter is simple; you won’t need any hard work, and you won’t even need to call an expert until it’s not working anymore.
A noisy fan can disturb your sleep, work, and everyday routine work.
So use the above strategies and make your life easier and more peaceful by making your fan quieter.
Frequently Asked Questions
1)Why is my fan so loud?
A: There are several reasons why a fan may be loud, including an unbalanced blade, a buildup of dust and debris, or a worn motor.
2)Can I make any fan quieter?
A: Yes, there are several techniques you can try to make a fan quieter, regardless of its make or model.
3)How can I balance a fan blade?
A: You can balance a fan blade by using a balancing kit, which typically includes adhesive weights that attach to the blades.
4) Will cleaning my fan make it quieter?
A: Yes, cleaning your fan can help reduce noise by removing dust and debris that may be interfering with the fan’s operation.
5)Can I lubricate my fan to reduce noise?
A: Yes, lubricating the fan’s motor can help reduce noise by reducing friction between moving parts.
However, be sure to use the correct type of lubricant for your fan’s motor.