My new home is almost done being built, and one of the extras I asked for was for two of the rooms to have junction boxes in the ceiling suitable for hanging a ceiling fan in the future.
The light fixtures haven't been installed yet so I can see inside the junction boxes but can't really distinguish between the braced boxes and the regular boxes. The attic is extremely limited access so I want to avoid crawling around up there to look for a brace.
Is there a quick or easy way to distinguish between a junction box that is able to carry the weight of a ceiling fan safely versus one that is not? I could just take their word for it but they haven't had a very reliable track record so far when it comes to following through with my requests even when they tell me they will do it.
Best Answer
If the box was installed recently in accordance with National Electrical Code (NEC), the box should be labeled if it's rated to support a ceiling fan.
If it's not labeled, the box is still required to support at least 50 lbs.
If the box was installed before this code was adopted; or in an area that does not follow NEC, you'll likely have to cut/drill some exploratory holes to determine if the box is properly braced.