Home Improvement → Ceiling Fan Noise

Hi all,

I've noticed lately that one of my Hunter ceiling fans has been making noise. The best way to describe it is like a tapping sound, almost like how water sounds when its dripping and hitting metal. The noise stops once the fan stops - turning the switch off doesn't stop the noise until the blades stop rotating. My first thought was that it might be off balance, but the fan doesn't seem to wobble excessively or anything like that. The noise also doesn't happen in intervals or any rhythm/pattern - its completely random in frequency and loudness when the fan is on. Unfortunately, this fan is in our bedroom otherwise I would just ignore it.

Other than possibly being out of balance, does anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks!

Many of them have rubber washers on the screws which hold the wood blades to the metal blade brackets. The washer deteriorates and they can make noise there.

One of the ones in my house is nicer than the others. Big heavy cast iron thing. The others are all Home Depot type Hunters.

Anyway, it's not older than 20 years- but the heavy one has an oiling port/flap/door thing on the top. I discovered it because it made a similar noise.

Might be similar...