A quiet little squeak from a ceiling fan can become annoying and aggravating. This noise can also be a warning of serious troubles, so don’t ignore it. A report in http://www.wikihow.com gives the following tip on how to repair a squeaking fan.

Turn the ceiling fan off, and allow the blades to coast to a complete stop.

Grasp each blade and wiggle them to see if any of the fastener are loose, and if so, tighten them. It is unusual for loose blades to cause a squeak, but possible in some instances. Also check that the light bulbs are securely in place; they can rattle around in their sockets.

Look for excess dust accumulated on the blade surface, especially the top. The weight of this dust can create an out of balance situation which can put unequal pressure on the fan motor bearings, causing them to squeak, and wear out prematurely, as well.

Check the globe or globes on the light kit if the fan is equipped with one. Some light kits come with a rubber band_like accessory that is wrapped around the “neck” of the glove to isolate it from the metal flange, to prevent squeaking if the unit is slightly out of balance or wobbles.

Tighten the set screws that holds the globe in place. These are knurled headed screws which should only be tightened finger tight; excess pressure can cause the glass to break if too much force is applied.

Test the fan to see if any of the above steps have helped quiet the squeak. If not, proceed to the next troubleshooting steps.

Rebalance the blades on your ceiling fan. This can be done with a “Balancing Kit” sold at home centers and electrical supply stores. These kits have a weighted, self_adhesive material similar to very thick tape that is attached to the top of the fan blades. Follow package instructions, or if you are very patient, attach small pieces of these weights by trial and error to balance your blades.

Recheck to see if the squeak is diminished or not. If not, there is a possibility the bearings in the fan motor are wearing out, and this can cause a fan motor to overheat and “short out”. This, in turn, can be a serious fire hazard. Most ceiling fans come with sealed bearings which cannot be lubricated, but if someone really wanted to salvage the fan, you may be able to disassemble the motor and use a light machine oil on the bearings if you can get access to them.