- Before you begin, set a plastic drop cloth down on the floor below the fixture you will be removing. This will help to catch any plaster or dust that may fall during the removal.
- If your ceiling has been painted in the past and it has been done so with the light fixture in place, the paint may have glued the fixture to the ceiling. Take a sharp utility knife and score all the way around the base of the light fixture. This will prevent the existing paint from peeling away from the ceiling when you remove the fixture.
- Use a ladder that is sized properly for the job. Make sure the ladder is tall enough so that you can comfortably work and are not standing on the top two rungs of the ladder. Position the ladder so that the light fixture is slightly in front of the ladder, not directly above it.
- Always wear eye protection when working on something above your head. Dust, dirt and the occasional bug will descend upon your face and body, so play it safe and protect your eyes.
- Always turn the power off at the circuit breaker. Do NOT rely on the wall switch. It is too easy for someone to accidentally flip the switch out of habit, even while you are directly in front of them on the ladder holding the wires.
- For most ceiling light fixtures, the screws that secure it to the junction box do not need to come out all the way. In most cases, you only have to loosen the screws. With the screws loosened, you can twist the fixture to align the screw heads with the larger holes on the fixture that allow the fixture to be removed from the bracket.
- Before disconnecting the wires, test them with a touch-type voltage tester to be sure you have the correct breaker off.
- After disconnecting the wires, tighten the wire connectors back on to the wires that are in the ceiling. If you have to, use smaller wire connectors for the single wires. Then, tuck them carefully back up into the ceiling box. This will allow you to turn the circuit back on without worry that the wires are exposed.
