Summer is here, but you don't have to let the warm weather turn your home into a sweatbox.

A ceiling fan will keep the air moving, and that's one of the best ways to ease humidity. And a high-quality fan can run for years.

Unless you have a phobia about do-it-yourself projects, installing a ceiling fan isn't all that difficult. But if you want to install a fan on a ceiling where there is no existing light fixture or an older fan, you should consult an electrician to run wiring to that location. Once your wiring is in, you'll need to pick out a right-sized fan (see inset, left). The point is to move enough air to do the job.

"Fans you should never buy just for looks," said Tomalee Waage, manager of The Fan Shop. "You are putting up a fan because you are hot and you want to cool down. You want to buy a powerful fan."

If your home is near the ocean or a damp location and you have a lot of windows, Waage suggests a fan with a sealed motor and plastic blades.

1. PICK A SPOT
In nearly every home, the best place for a fan is usually in the center of a room. This should provide smooth airflow to the entire room. Be sure that you have a minimum of 7 feet between the fan blades and the floor. And you'll need at least 12 inches between the ceiling and the blades.

2. TURN OFF THE POWER
Find your circuit box and turn off the electricity for the room where you are working before you begin. Also, be sure to read all the electrical safety tips in the directions that come with your fan.

3. ANCHOR IT
Be sure that you can anchor the fan securely to a ceiling electrical box. If you have an older home, you will probably have an old plastic ceiling box that you will want to replace with a stronger, metal box. Be sure the box is securely attached to a brace, a beam or enough wood from the floor above, said Tomalee Waage, manager of The Fan Shop. Most fans weigh about 27 to 30 pounds, so the ceiling box will need to be strong enough to hold that, she said.

4. CONNECT THE WIRING
Fan assembly varies by brand, but your fan will come with a set of directions, and you should read them completely. If you've never installed a ceiling fan, you should get someone to help you, as fans can be heavy when held overhead. Some fans, though, will allow you to install a mounting bracket and a cowling to your ceiling; those will allow you to hang the fan in its proper position while you connect the electrical wires.

5. FIRST THINGS FIRST
Do not attach the blades until after you have hung the motor, Waage said. Then install the blades, in sequence, around the bottom of the fan motor. Consult the directions for proper position. "One thing you don't want to do is put the blade and the holder onto the motor before you install it into the ceiling," Waage said. This can be one of the most time-consuming parts of the job.

6. CHECK FOR WOBBLES
The goal is wobble-free, noise-free blade rotation. Choose a blade at random (after attaching the components, above) and place a weight on it, then test it on the highest setting. If it still wobbles, remove the weight and try the next blade. "When it is off-balance, it is a pain in the neck. It takes a long time to balance," Waage said.