One of the easiest ways to improve the appearance of a room is by changing out a light fixture. Whether you are looking to upgrade a dated fixture, or you are looking for a solution that will provide you with more usable light, replacing a fixture is typically the best solution. With care and by following instructions, pretty much anyone can replace a light fixture. However, before we get started, it is vital to note that you must turn off the power to your home before you begin. If you do not know how to do this, contact a professional to have them install the fixture for you. Thousands of people are injured or killed yearly due to electric shock that could have been prevented.
Generally, replacing a light fixture is easier than installing a brand new one. You won’t have to worry about running wires to a new switch and you should be able to simply use the old connection to the switch in the wall. However, it is important to make sure that you will have a compatible unit before you begin this process.
Shop for a light fixture based not only on its uses, but also its electrical rating and the overall size. Unless you want to do a lot of drilling and wiring, it is simply easier to limit your search to models that will fit precisely where the old one used to. Measure the base of your current fixture and write down all of its measurements before you head to the store. This will help you determine what models will work best for your needs.
Once you have your new light fixture, you are ready to start. Turn off the electricity to your house before you begin. Make sure that everyone knows why the electricity is off to ensure that it does not get turned back on unexpectedly. The process for installation does not take that long, so you will not be out of power for an extended period of time.
After the power is off, remove the old light fixture, taking care with the wires. Newer models will allow you to simply unplug the electrical wires and reattach them to the new model, but with older fixtures that were hard wired, you may need to actually cut the wires, strip them and attach them to the new fixture.
Unpack your new fixture and carefully read the instructions twice. This is done to make sure that you don’t miss anything. Prepare the fixture as per the instructions and then get ready to reattach the wires. Once this is complete, you can simply attach the fixture to the ceiling and test it. Turn the electricity back on and make sure the switch works. If you followed all of the instructions to the letter, it should operate perfectly. If not, you will need to troubleshoot.
Once again, turn off that electricity before proceeding. Check your wire connections on the new fixture and see if something is lose or hooked up wrong. Keep going over this process, turning of the electricity each and every time until the unit works.
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Originally posted 2008-10-16 05:05:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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