How to Replace a Light Switch

For some people, the thought of changing a faulty light switch can be a daunting undertaking. Their first response is to head for the yellow pages to call an electrician. While that is certainly an option if you are not mechanically inclined, this is a relatively easy job for someone who is even the least bit handy. To help save a ton of money, it can sometimes be best to learn how to do it yourself. Here is how to replace a light switch.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Single-pole switch
• Screwdrivers
• Electrical tape
• Voltage tester
• Wire strippers
• Flashlight (if necessary)

1. Step 1 is the same for every electrical job. Turn OFF the power. If the light switch is broken in the "on" position, then this is easy. Just turn the breakers off until you see the light turn off. If the switch is broken in the "off" position, then move on to Step 2.

2. Remove the switch's faceplate. Then, unscrew the two screws holding the switch to the wallbox. Carefully grab the top and bottom of the switch and gently pull it out of the box. Be careful not to have the switch come in contact with the box. Use your voltage tester to check for power. (For the at-home electrician, the type of voltage tester that can be held up to the wire is best. It has a light that will indicate that the line is hot). Check both wires connected to the switch for voltage. (In most installations, the bottom line is the feed line, but this isn't always the case).

3. Next, turn a breaker off and check the switch for power. Do this until you find the circuit. This goes faster if you can have somebody at the other end either flipping the breakers or holding the voltage tester.

4. With the breaker off, unscrew the wires on the switch one at a time. When you remove the top wire, bend it up and away from the bottom wire, so you can remember that that is the top wire on the switch.

5. Now that you have the old switch removed, check the wires for any damage. If you have to, use the wire strippers to cut some of the wire back and strip about 3/4" of insulation off the wire. Bend the newly stripped wire into a hook using the hole on the wire strippers.

6. Starting with the top wire, wrap the hook around the top screw on the switch. Tighten it down securely, but be careful not to over-tighten as you could crack the switch's plastic body. There should be no copper wire exposed past the screw. If there is, you stripped too much insulation off. Disconnect the wire, cut and strip it again. Do the same thing with the bottom wire.

7. With both wires securely connected, wrap electrical tape around the switch so that the connections are totally covered.

8. Gently push the wires back and screw the new switch onto the wallbox. Make sure that the switch looks level and there are no wires sticking out to the sides of the switch. If the switch is difficult to get back into the box, you may have to rearrange some wires. Just make sure that if there are any other wires in the box, that the power is off to all of them before you begin touching any of them.

9. Now that the switch is installed and screwed to the wallbox, screw the new faceplate onto the switch.

10. Throw away the garbage, turn the breaker back on and test the switch to see if it turns the light on. This job will take roughly a half an hour to 45 minutes for at-home handyman; but it will ultimately save you around $85-$100 by doing it yourself!

Tips & Warnings

• Using a screwdriver with a magnetic tip is especially helpful when dealing with the small screws used to install the switch's faceplate. Plus, if you drop one, it saves a lot of bending over to retrieve the screw!
• If there is more than one circuit being fed through the wallbox, always use the voltage tester to ensure that all of the lines are dead before working on the wires.