<span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> Why is my ceiling fan making a grinding noise when it&#x92;s turned on? I thought the shaft might be out of line from turning it off and on. It doesn&#x92;t have a wall switch.</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Ceiling fan noises can be hard to diagnose as there can be so many culprits.</p><p>Start by inspecting the fan closely as you rotate the blades by hand. Watch, listen and feel for anything out of the ordinary.</p><p>Check that all the fasteners on the fan are tight. Check the screws that hold the fan blades to the arms and the arms to the motor. Check the screws that hold the fan to the electrical box in the ceiling. If the fan has a light kit, check that everything is secure on it. If the fan is hung from the ceiling using a ball mount and socket, check that the ball is aligned correctly in the socket.</p><p>If all the fasteners are tight and you can&#x92;t see any interference problems, but you still hear or feel the grinding noise when turning the blades, then the most likely cause is the bearings in the motor.</p><p>In fans made 30 or 40 years ago, the motor bearings were designed to be periodically oiled. These fans typically have an oil hole on the top of the motor near the down rod that can be filled with a small amount of 10, 15 or 20 weight non-detergent motor oil.</p><p>Most new ceiling fans feature sealed bearings that are filled with oil from the factory. While not impossible to oil the bearings in a newer fan, it requires removal of the fan and disassembly of the motor housing. Often times, it is simpler and more cost effective to replace the fan.