I'm a Big Fan of the New Fan

 

Spencer and I saw a Hunter brand ceiling fan at Costco. I got excited about it. Our bedroom ceiling fan is also Hunter brand and is very good quality, but I've been wanting to swap it out for years (explanation to follow). I convinced Spencer to buy it to replace ours. I told him we can wait to install it when I'm recovered, there's no rush. But he got it done today. 

I am not permitted to lift more than 10lbs yet, so my usual assistance with house projects was not allowed. He enlisted Perry & Kaden to help remove and hold up that very heavy old fan, while he disconnected the wiring. My contribution was to document their work, and be on the phone to inform dad that he had safely turned off the power to our room before they started. 

I want to thank and shout out to my strong handy man and his handsome crew of our strapping sons! I appreciate this so much! I am so grateful for a hard working capable husband! I truly am in awe of him and the many various abilities and talents he has. I am grateful for Perry & Kaden for stepping up and assisting their dad. Even though there was a moment of near disaster! When dad disconnected all the wires he asked the boys to lower the fan to the ground. But they were standing on the unstable bed. Perry was holding the majority of it, while I think Kaden was trying to get his footing. Perry started to fall backwards toward the edge of the bed, grunting, "Kaden, Kaden, help! Hold it!" I felt panicked and helpless watching him about to fall off the bed with a very heavy fan and sharp dumb (explanation to follow) lights! But Kaden grabbed it in time, and Perry got his footing secured. OOF, that was scary. 

Here's the explanation of why I wanted to swap it out: Since the first night we slept in this house, I have stared at the ceiling fan. It wasn't modern, but who cares. It's a ceiling fan and it worked really well. It was a high quality one from its time, sooo if it aint broke, don't fix it, right? I am a very frugal, resourceful, despises waste, use it up or wear it out, kind of person. But after a year or two of living with that fan, we learned its quirks and annoyances. It wasn't until then that I really wanted something different. I didn't need it to be new, just changed. I even thought of ways to remove it, replace the light fixture on it, maybe paint it white to blend with the ceiling, then re-install it.  But we couldn't find a light to swap on that fan's fixture. Ugh! The longer we lived with it, the more I wanted to change it. And here's why...

The quirks and annoyances of that fan, starting with least to worst:

4) the lights were really bright. Like, blindingly bright! I dreaded needing to turn them on and would tell anyone in the room to brace themselves because I was turning on the overhead light. They'd assume the position to cover their eyes or close their eyes and then adjust to it.

3) when the light turned on it made a shrill "boop-BEEP". When turned off, the sound was a loud "BEEP-boop". To make the fan spin faster, you held the button down. It signaled a beep for every level higher it went with a crescendoing "beep... BeeP.... BEEP... BEEP". We rarely used it on full high because it would shake vigorously and loudly. Never loved the fans noises. Especially for reason number 2...

2) during thunderstorms when the power would surge through the house, the ceiling fan would randomly turn on by itself! Its blinding light took us from total darkness to staring at the noon sun! It would shake violently, spinning at the highest fan speed, and of course begin with its accompanying "BEEP". This was always  more frightening than the storm itself! And lest you forget your poor dad's night terrors... you can imagine how that went. "AH AH, WHAT what's going on? Nance! Nance? What's happening?!" 

1) while less amusing, this reason bothered me the most. Refer to the photo of the old ceiling fan and you can see the 4 lights that attach below the fan. Each lightbulb was surrounded by a glass hexagon fixture. The glass pieces were trimmed with brass. Where each piece connected, its corners were sharp. Which means, 24 sharp metal corners = 24 weapons ready to deliver a painful blow to the head! We always felt the fan was too low. But it took some time before the first victim showed us just how much it hurt. I have a tall husband and he's a good dad who likes to goof around with the kids. As kids do, they jump around on mom & dad's bed. They wrestle and throw each other. They jump off as high as they can. They get on each others' shoulders. All of which prompts mom to say "Watch your head!" Regardless of the warning, someone would meet a brass corner, grab their head with both hands, and crumble to the ground like it's an earthquake drill. It was always so sad! It wasn't just dad and the boys though. I too, had my run in with those cursed lights! If I remember right, mine was from trying to kill a spider on the ceiling, but dropped it on the bed, then screamed and jumped to get away but... BAM! Down to the ground for my earthquake drill pose. Every time I'd look at those lights afterward, I could feel a traumatized ache in my head. ugh. 

I think Josie might be the only one I can think of that didn't experience this pain. I do know that Kaden and Perry experienced the most, though. Forever my rough and tumble boys. :)

BUT NOW... mmmm, sweet serenity. Our new ceiling fan is quiet. Its light is a bright, but soft, spotlight glow. The light fixture is flush, round, and up higher. Even if we hit our heads, it wouldn't hurt much at all. It is yet to be determined if a storm power surge will turn it on in the night. But even if it does, the light will be gentle and the fan will be silent. The new fan color probably doesn't match perfectly with the room, but I do not care! Eliminating those 4 annoyances is worth any aesthetic upset. :) 

Although, there is one little quirk we hadn't expected with this new fan: when the fan is on high, it makes a high pitched sound. Josie & Charlie tried to point it out to us. Funny thing is, only THEY can hear it! They kept asking us "What's that high pitched hum? Don't you hear it?" I thought they were joking. We even asked Perry if he could hear it, but he couldn't. Then Josie (my girl with the gift of knowledge) told us that younger human ears can hear higher frequencies that adults can't hear. Fascinating! Luckily, they said it wasn't an annoying sound. And even luckier, mine & dad's ears are too old to notice! :) ha ha