Rotating fans are great to have in your room, especially during hot summer days. I think they’re the best and cheapest alternative to an air conditioner.
Even though these fans are useful, they begin to experience wear and tear over time. This causes them to make clicking or rattling noises while operating. Some people ignore these noises, but let’s be honest, it’s pretty hard to ignore a sound that’s gradually becoming louder and louder. Most of the time, the disturbing noise occurs because the fan is weighed down by dust, or simply because it’s become too rusty.
Aside from investing in a brand new quiet fan, there are other ways around this problem. However, keep in mind that there’s no way to make a fan completely quiet, because fans are made to produce at least a bit of noise. With that being said, let’s look at some steps you can follow to eliminate as much irritating noise as possible.
How to Make a Room Fan Quieter
1. Place It on a Level, Carpeted Surface
You should check to make sure your fan is on a level surface, because the unwanted rattling and clicking noise it’s making may be due to an uneven floor.
If it is on a level surface, but it still rattles (despite the floor being flat), then the problem is with the base of your fan. To fix this, the best idea is to place a thick rug or carpet under your fan, as this will help muffle any unwanted noise that’s coming from it.
2. Do Regular Cleaning and Maintenance
If you take the time to properly clean and maintain your fan, then you shouldn’t need to worry about a noise problem. To get started, you’ll need to carefully take the whole fan apart. Before doing this, make sure your fan is turned off and unplugged!
You can start by removing the front cage. After that, you’ll need to unscrew the cap at the center of the blades. The blades should easily slide off after you’ve removed the cap.
Following that, it’ll be time to remove the second cap that separates the blades from the back of the cage. Then, finally, you’ll need to slide off the cover that protects the motor.
Clean the blades and everything else you can reach with a soft, damp cloth. You can use canned air to dust any parts of the fan you can’t reach. It’s important to make sure all the components are dust-free and are completely dry afterward.
When you’re done, put all of your fan’s parts back together and run the fan again to see if the problem has been solved.
3. Tighten Loose Parts
While your fan is apart, you’ll need to inspect it for any loose parts that may be causing the rattling noise. You should tighten any loose parts you find by using a screwdriver or wrench, and then use tape to further secure these parts. Once you’re finished tightening, you can turn on the fan again to see if the problem still exists.
We don’t recommend opening or disassembling the motor. You should only check for any loose parts on the exterior.
4. Align the Blades
Once you’re finished cleaning and tightening the loose parts, check and see if your fan’s blades are tightened well. Sometimes, disturbing noise will come from loosening blades.
To remedy this, you’ll need to remove the fan’s grill and carefully remove the blade hub. Place the blade on a level surface and check to see if the height of all of the blades is the same. If you notice a difference in height between any of them, gently bend the blades until they’re all aligned.
Some fans have plastic blades that are mounted on a metal center. If this is the case with your fan, then you should be able to adjust the metal center mounting. If the blades are completely made of plastic, then the best idea is to replace the blades entirely.
Once you’re finished with this step, you can replace the blade hub and grill, and run your fan again to see if the problem is resolved. In order to attain the best results possible, check your fan’s blades every three months and make sure they’re tightened well.
5. Oil the Fan’s Motor
Over a period of time, some of your fan’s parts might get rusty or simply old, which will make it harder for them to spin. While your fan spins, you may notice a squeaking noise that can be annoying to hear during the day, and especially during the night while you’re trying to sleep.
To fix this problem, you’ll need to disassemble the entire fan and lubricate the motor bearings. The bearings are the most common problem when it comes to squeaking noises, because they’ll often get rusty or dry over time.
You can use this Liquid Bearings Fan Oil inside the motor, but we don’t suggest using more than two drops at a time, or you’ll risk damaging the motor. When everything’s done, reassemble the fan’s parts and check and see if everything is working correctly.
6. Invest in a New, Quiet Fan
Finally, if none of the steps above have helped, then your best bet is to upgrade your old, noisy fan by replacing it with one of today’s more efficient and quiet ones.
We highly recommend that you choose the Vornado 630 Medium Room Fan. It’s a highly rated fan that combines unique vortex technology and deep-pitched blades to deliver a strong and quiet airflow throughout any average-sized room. For the price, this is an excellent personal fan.
Tips For Using a Personal Fan
Aside from cleaning and maintaining the fan regularly, here are some other tips that will help make your personal fan run more quietly:
- Make sure you turn it off when it’s not in use, as this will prevent it from accumulating too much dirt.
- Check the motor once per month, and make sure to give it a quick clean.
- If the noise continues after cleaning, you should loosen the grills a bit to provide more space for the blades.
- Check if it needs oiling on a regular basis.
- Make sure the fan is on a level surface at all times.
Conclusion
If you take the time to follow all these steps carefully, you should be able to quiet your personal fan within a few minutes. Maintaining and cleaning your fan will most definitely help you prevent the clicking and rattling noises that you may hear at all hours.
As mentioned above, if none of the other strategies seem to help, then it’s best to invest in a new, quieter fan and save yourself hours of irritation.
If you have any questions, please let us know by leaving a comment down below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, you may be interested in our article about the best quiet window air conditioners.
image 1: Pixabay; image 2: Pixabay