73ss454 said:
Speaking of things that the younger generation is clueless about, I think that ceiling fans are a lot easier than adjusting carburetors.
Browse the fan/light departments at Home Depot/Lowes. (This is one time when you'll be happy that you're not being pestered by sales staff.) Either in the dept or near the store entrances you'll find pamphlets like "Choosing and installing a ceiling fan" with plenty of generic advice that's not brand-specific. Hunter-Douglas has a pretty good line with the basics but you can always go higher.
For advanced details you can browse the decorating books near the registers. This will give you a feel for the latest Energy Star options like remote-control timers and dimming fluorescents.
We get a ton of home improvement info in small doses from a subscription to the monthly
"Family Handyman" magazine. Unfortunately they're overdue for a ceiling fan article (their latest is five years old).
You can also try the detailed directions at
DIY Network. Absolutely spend money for a heavy-duty joist brace, especially if the ceiling fan will be running at the end of an extension bar. Without that brace you'll see every wobble and hear every motor whine until the fan tears loose from the ceiling. And if you don't buy a ceiling fan with a light, or at least the cover plate for an add-on light kit, a few months later you'll wish that you had.
Remote controls seem like a good idea at the time until your TV room ends up with an entire basket of the little $#%^ers. I greatly prefer the remotes that mount to a detachable wall plate next to the power switch... at least you'll know where you were supposed to have left it. Each remote comes with its own internal DIP switch to speak to one fan at a time, something that's endlessly entertaining when a kid messes with the DIP switch settings.
I can also affirm that ceiling fans in kid's bunk-bed bedrooms are not a good idea.