It did not take this crew very long. Working on what amounted to their lunch break, this foursome cut a hole in the ceiling, ran a new wire from the supply box in the attic to the ceiling fixture, installed a fan-rated electrical box that straddled a ceiling joist, secured the fan motor to the ceiling brace and attached the blades. Occasionally one brother would complain that part of the job, such as climbing in the attic, "was not part of my job description." But the work got done. They even made the bed. As Al arranged the decorative pillows on the bed, he cracked, "We don't do windows."
About 45 minutes after they had started, the fan was whirling. "Don't tell people it took four electricians to install one fan," Jack jokingly said.
"We do have a lot of experience," said Jack, who is 63 years old. Al is 65 and Rob is 56. 'We call ourselves the gray-haired electricians," said Al.
The Sprock brothers grew up in the Belvedere Gardens neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore. After a stint in the Air Force, Jack took over Sprock & Sons, the business run by their father, John, also an electrician.
At my urging, they outlined some of the key points of installing a ceiling fan.
First of all, they said, when picking the style of the fan, it is wise to bow to the wishes of the woman of the house. Men tend to judge ceiling fans by the blades - 36 inches long is the norm-and how much they weigh, rather than the look. Jack Sprock said he likes a fan that weighs at least 20 pounds. A heavier fan, he said, is a sign that its motor houses a larger magnet and will probably last longer than lightweight motors.
Another important factor, they said, is the fan's proximity to the ceiling. According to the Department of Energy guidelines, ceiling fans are only appropriate in rooms with ceilings at least 8 feet high. Fans work best when the blades are 7 to 9 feet above the floor and 10 to 12 inches below the ceiling. Fans should be installed so their blades are no closer than 8 inches from the ceiling and 18 inches from the walls, the guidelines say.
An absolutely essential component of any fan installation job, the electricians said, is using a fan-rated wiring box. These metal boxes are fastened to a ceiling joist and hold the fan in place as its spins. Jack showed me three types of these boxes. One is called a pancake because it resembles a flapjack. Another is called a straddle box that fits over a joist. A third is a hanger box, which comes in two styles, and has a metal bar that fits between beams. These devices are sold at electrical supply houses.
"You have to have those fan boxes," Jack told me. "If you don't, there is a good chance the fan and the wiring will wiggle loose. That is not good." And, he added, "there is the possibility of electric shock."
After looking into the benefits of ceiling fans, I became a believer. But that mention of the "possibility of electric shock" cooled my fervor to get one. So I think I will wait until my brother comes for a visit. Then, following the example of the Sprock brothers, I will try to get my sibling to do most of the work.
rob.kasper@baltsun.com
Tools needed
*Measuring tape
*Dry-wall saw
*Power drill with driver bits
*Wire strippers and wire connectors
*Fan-rated writing box
