Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - New install ceiling fans

I want to add a ceiling fan/light to an upstairs bedroom. I have attic access and I know I can install the fan, the question is how do I run romex from the fan down the inside of the wall to the existing light switch? Right now I have a wall switch that controls on the outlets in the room that I have a lamp plugged into, I want to replace the light switch with the fan/light control. There is a fan in the other upstairs room and the romex runs from it to wall and goes down. How do you fish it down?

thanks!

First, make sure that you can do what you want using the existing wiring. Do you still want the existing receptacle to be switched? If so, you may not have the proper wiring between the receptacle and the switch to accomplish this. If not, then you will be all set regardless of the wiring, although you may have to make some adjustments at the receptacle.

Snaking the wiring down the wall is, to some extent, trial and error. You need to find or make a hole in the top plate in the stud bay where the switch exists and run the cable down the wall and into the junction box. You will find it easier to use a fish tape. People sometimes use string. There are numerous ways to go about this.

One suggestion I have is for you to buy and read a book or two on home wiring. ALL that I have ever looked at have many suggestions on how to run wires like this. They will even tell you how to this job properly. In fact, they will answer the other questions you haven't asked yet.

After you drill the hole in the top plate, I recommend you lower a lightweight chain down the hole. Then you can stick a coat-hanger with a hook on the end out through one of the top holes in the switch box and hook the chain and pull it into the box. Then you can attach the cable to the chain and pull the cable up into the attic.

This doesn't work so well if this is an insulated exterior wall, so I hope it isn't.

Think really hard before drilling the hole in the top plate so you drill into the correct cavity. You should use a stud finder in the room below so you know exactly where the studs are on either side of the switch. If this is not a load-bearing wall, there is probably only one top plate so you can see where the studs are by the nails down through the top plate. Other good visual clues are existing cables that go through the top plate that you can correlate to things in the room below. Be really careful not to drill into one of the cables (I did that once).

Before we can give you more precise connection information, we need you to tell us all the existing wiring and connections in both the switch box and the receptacle box.

Thanks for the info! With regards to the switched outlet, only half of the outlet is switched, the other is hot all the time. I do not need that outlet to be switched once the fan is installed as I will have a light on the fan.

With regards to the fan itself, am I better off using the Saf-T- Brace between the joists (24" on center) or just adding a 2x4" cross support and using a fan box bolted to the 2x4"? The other fans are installed with a Saf-T-Brace (the expanding metal bars).

If you have access to the attic and can put in a 2x4 cross board, that is cheaper and probably stronger. On the other hand, the fan brace kit is easier to install and adequately strong. In either case, make sure you use a fan-rated box.

Since your current receptacle is only half switched, it might mean that the job would be easier if you replaced the receptacle. Details are not possible until you provide the wiring information requested earlier.

Thanks John, I will not be installing the fan for another week to give you the wiring config. I will post and or take some digital photos!

Thanks again! You guys are a big help and now have the confidence I can pull this off.

Just throwing out an option. If you have a supply in the attic, you could always use a remote controlled unit, and not have to run the wall switch. Just mount the remote control on the wall where the switch would normally be.

If you take chandler's suggestion, here are a few things to consider.

Remote receivers reset to a fixed state when the power goes out and come back on. Some reset to fan-off/light-off, but others reset to fan-off/light-on. If you have the latter, then if you have a power outage while on vacation, the light will come on and stay on until you return.

Code requires a light switch at the entrance to the room. So unless you permanent afix that remote to the wall, you might be fumbling around in the dark if it gets misplaced.

I strongly prefer the remotes that reset to fan-off/light-on. With these remotes, you can always use the wall switch to turn the light on, even if you can't find the remote (e.g., because the room is dark). However, you have to remember to turn the wall switch off when you go on vacation. Many of these remote receivers recommend that you turn off the power anyway if there will be a long period of time that you're not using it.