Securing Lanai Fan in Anticipation of a Hurricane
 

We’re new to Florida/The Villages & have a pool area including a covered lanai. The section above the pool is screened & the adjacent seating area is covered by a solid roof. All sides surrounding the lanai & pool are enclosed by screens.

Our concern is with the 4 large ceiling fans hanging in the roofed area of the lanai. From the roof to the blades, there is a 4 ft "stem." Even light winds cause the blades to turn. We’re concerned about possible damage during hurricane-force winds.

The previous homeowner mentioned that she would tie a rope to each fan and anchor it to a bucket sitting on the ground below the fan, filled with rocks to limit movement. The fan manufacturer didn’t have recommendations. Our own online research led to two suggestions:

1. Removing the fan blades before each storm
2. Tying the blades together
Neither option seems ideal.

If anyone has ideas on how to safely stabilize large hanging fans during strong winds, we’d truly appreciate your insight. 🙏🏼

We don’t do anything with ours. I’ll have to see if we have the 4” extender but I’m pretty sure we do. Been through four or five hurricanes with no problems.

Thank you. That provides a degree of relief. 🙏🏼

You have a four foot stem? Mine might be four inches, certainly not four feet.

I like the bucket idea. A large five gallon bucket filled with water will weigh 40 lbs. Easy to fill right in place with a hose and depending on your lanai, easy to empty by just tipping it over.

A good idea, and easier than carrying rocks! Thank you!:BigApplause:

Our house, 2013 vintage has 2 ceiling fans (no stem) flush mounted in the screened lanai, and we have been through several hurricanes with no damage to the fans.

My fan blades had not been cleaned in awhile, so I took them off when Milton hit last year. Cleaned them before I put them back on. So if you look at it that way, that's a way to make the best of things.

I have a white ceiling fan in a pergola and have been using a bungy cord on the blades attached to the rafters .
From what I been reading here, I just might do nothing from now on.

Thank you. We hope for the same.🙏🏼

Yes, that's a positive way to look at it. Thank you. 🙏🏼

Thank you. Hopefully we'll experience the same as you have with no issue.🙏🏼

Thank you. It seems that those who have responded have not experienced issues, so we hope there's no need for worry. 🙏🏼

I know this will elicit numerous angry responses, but a "hurricane" in The Villages is rarely anything remotely resembling a proper hurricane along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts.

Hurricanes gain energy from the heat of the ocean which, as you may have noticed, is not that close to us here. Thus their energy is quickly dissipated when passing over land.

At the slightest hint of a wind above 20mph this forum is filled with posts asking when to evacuate and how many extra toilet rolls they should be buying up (to add to those bought the three previous times, and still stacked up in the garage).

Be prepared, but don't over-react.

Thank you for your response.

Thank you for your response!