Do I need to rewire my wall switch to replace my ceiling light with a fan/light combo?
Question:I know in order to control my ceiling fan and light separately I need to have a wall switch that has two controls on it, unless I want to be pulling the cords all the time, which I do not. Do I also need to rewire it or is it as simple as replacing the wall switch?
Answers:
Basically if you have a switch for a light now, unless you have more than 2 wires going to the fixture box in the ceiling you will need an extra wire. The newer houses mostly have the wiring stapled to the beams (and wall studs) [not movable unless you open the wall & ceiling to install the new wiring].
If you have access from the floor above (attic or crawl space) you can run the new wire with a little work.
Good Luck ! ! !
if it's already wired for two then just switch out the switch for what you want..if its just wired for a regular lightswitch then unless you're an electrician or you know about electricity...you should ask home depot.
Yes, the wall switch must be wired for it!
in order to control the light separate from the fan you will have to run a separate wire or use a wire split, then you will need to get a different switch as well.
I see, you are going to put in two switches to use one for the light and one for the fan and use one face plate with the 2 openings. I believe you will need to rewire as you only have one for a light now. We use the cords, we have an old two story and rewiring would be a nightmare, if you have access from your basement, assuming your box is down there, that's where to do it. Once you find where to hook up the new wires, tie something to it and have someone pull it up into the box where the fan is. Make sure you use proper wire for this use. My hubby said that if this is a new house, the wires are stapled to the 2 by 4 and pulling won't work. Hopefully, another electrician will ans. for you as my hubby had to leave.
HHHmmm…
Well, for starters, you certainly don’t need to be doing any extra wiring. You simply need to purchase the right fan from the right fan dealer. Most of the better quality fans sold at fan specialty shops nowadays come with options that will let you use a wall control that simply replaces your existing on and off light switch. There are a several ways this works.
Many of the wall-controlled fans that are available today are actually remote controlled fans that have a receiver built-in to the fan body. The wall control simply gets wired in for power and sends signals to the fan via radio frequency. Some of these fans will actually come with a hand held remote control and the wall control is sold separately (or visa-versa). In most cases, the fans with built-in wall or remote controls will give you 3 speeds in forward and reverse as well as a full range light dimmer. Look for fans by Minka Aire, they have a wide selection of fans with built-in controls.
Casablanca is the only company that makes a wall control that actually sends the signals through the wires to the fan. They call this the Inteli-Touch control and have been manufacturing fans like this for about 20 years now. The Inteli-Touch control will give you more functionality (6 speeds plus other cool features), but it comes at a premium price of around $400 and up. The Inteli-Touch control also does not require any additional wiring.
Finally, there are universal remote wall controls that can be added to some ceiling fans, which will give you 3 speeds and a light dimmer, but no reverse function. These special controls also do not require any additional wiring.
Bottom line is, you need to talk to someone who knows ceiling fans before you purchase your fan so you know what your options are…and there are many.
The link below should get you started…
sorry if you don't want to pull a cord you will need another switch wire in place to do what you want
More Related Questions & Answers...