If your light switches are looking a bit grubby and old, or you just want to give your home a new look, you’ll find it is easy to change them. Metal switches, decorative switches, colored switches: all of these could help you revamp the look of your home. This is certainly one job you don’t need to pay someone else to do. Do remember to be careful though – while it is a simple job, it can be dangerous if not done properly.
1) Switch off the power supply at the fuse box before you do anything else.
2) Unscrew the switch from the wall, and work it off. Sometimes, you might need to coax it off if it has been painted around a few times.
3) Use a voltage checker to make sure there is no live power around the switch.
4) Look at how the cables are wired in to the switch. Then, make a note or draw a diagram (whatever you find easier) of where they go, so that you can put them into the right place on the new switch. Remember that the colors of earth and live wires are not always the same, so you do need to make a note.
5) Unscrew the cables from the switch.
6) Take your new switch and screw the cables into it in the same places as they were in the old switch. If it is a metal switch, then it needs to be earthed, and should come with an earth cable. You should see an earth connector in the wall fixing to fix the cable to. If it’s not there, then get an electrician in to do the job instead.
7) Switch the power back on and enjoy your new light-switch!
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Content Provided by: Julia Ritzenthaler