Looking to save some AC costs by installing ceiling fans. Any experience with how much it would cost to install one if I buy a fan myself? Should I get an electrician or a handyman?

Unfortunately, it seems to fall outside my very limited skillet to do it myself.

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As simple as this sounds there are a lot of factors. Here are a few as someone who has done some similar tasks as the homeowner.

1. Current lights just in an electrical box sitting on the drywall or is it tied into something solid/structural?

2. What do you want for the electrical. 2 switches? 1 switch with pull chains?

3. What does your local code say. Some areas require an electrician to do any electrical. See #2.

4. How easy is the access to the ceiling space? (Ranch style vs 3 story and bedrooms on second and third).

Personally, if money isn't the largest factor I'd go with an electrician. You'll likely wait longer and pay more, but the likelihood of getting a poor job that risks your life (fan falling on you or electrical fire) is most likely reduced.

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You also have to make sure you have a correctly braced junction box that can carry the weight and movement of the fan. in other words you can’t just remove an existing light and replace w a ceiling fan.

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Fans don’t actually cool a room, they just make it feel colder in the skin.

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If your fan pulls up on the summer, it’s going the wrong direction for the season - hit that switch. Also, in a normal ceiling height it’s not making that drastic a difference.

What kind of climate are you in? If you don’t want A/C, look into a swamp cooler or even an attic fan. I live in a dry climate with hot days and cool nights. I run the attic fan once the outside temp gets below the inside temp in the evening, and I need a down comforter to stay warm in July; it’s amazing.

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We had an attic fan in the house i grew up in and it allowed us to delay turning on the AC (Texas, so it was inevitable at some point) by weeks. If your house is designed to allow for good cross ventilation, they work great!!

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Would it make sense to just buy an oscillating fan on a stand? For what it will cost you between the ceiling fans and the electrician, you could buy a very nice Dyson type standing fan. Would hire a handyman only if they have referrals for this type of electrical job. I paid $200 for a licensed electrician just to swap a chandelier. HCOL.

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Hire a handyman. It will be fairly inexpensive...service will be around the same cost as the fan.

That said, when it's hot, even the best ceiling fans don't do that much. They help in a very small temp range....like 70-75. After that, you're just kind of less hot haha.

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I’m in Arizona and we live with our ceiling fans. I found a handyman on Thumbtack and had a fan installed for $135. Wiring and brace were already there. No existing light or ceiling fan.

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Ceiling fans are great. But if there’s not at least a light fixture there already you probably need an electrician to handle the wiring.

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Just handyman. Simple work.
You could even have him/her just do electrical.

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Handyman - just a simple 14/2 wire to a switch.

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