How to Change and Install Home Lighting Fixtures

Changing or installing home lighting fixtures is not difficult once you know a few important rules.

It is actually one of the easiest diy home improvement projects you can undertake.

When your light fixtures are older and need replacing, or you just want to update your décor you can save money by installing the new fixtures yourself.

There a are a few points to learn to make sure your diy lighting project is a success, whether you are installing track lighting, recessed lighting, or a wall or ceiling light fixture.

First and foremost, know the laws in your area. They do vary. Make sure that you can change a light fixture in your area without being a qualified professional.

Once that is done, you need very few tools for the project. A circuit tester is very handy but the only tools you really need are a screwdriver and plastic connectors, called wire nuts, marrettes or marr connectors. You can get all of this at any hardware or building supply store for very little cost.

Home lighting fixtures all come with their own installation instructions, so take the time to read them before you begin. Make sure you know what kind of screwdriver you will need so you have the right tool on hand.

Your first step is to turn off the electricity at the service panel. Do this by turning off the correct breaker or removing the right fuse. It is best to lock it so it won't accidentally get turned on while you are working. Use the circuit tester to make sure you have turned the correct circuit off, or if the light still works, simply try to turn it on. The circuit tester is best. You really don't want to be unsure here and find out later that the light had blown and the circuit was really still on.

Once you are sure the power has been turned off, unscrew the light fixture and pull it down or off the wall to inspect the kind of wiring that is there. Most likely there will be just two wires, a white one and a black one. There may also be a green or other colored wire, which acts as a ground wire.

Basically what you need to remember is that you are connecting white wires to white wires and black to black. It can be that simple.

There is a possibility however that you will have more wires in the bundle. If so, make a sketch of what wires you have and how they are connected before you disconnect them. It is absolutely essential to get everything back together the way it was.

Use the plastic connectors (the wire nuts or marrettes) to connect the wires on the lighting fixture to your home wiring. Simply hold together the white wire from the light fixture and the white home wiring wire. Then, twist the connector on to them to hold them together. Repeat that step for the black wires. Now connect the green or bare ground wire of the light fixture (if there is one) to the ground wire of your wall or ceiling home wiring. If you see that a metal box is being used to support the light fixture, there should be grounding screws in it. Use the grounding screws to attach the green wire to the box.

Once everything is connected together with the plastic connectors (marrettes) and the ground wire has been properly secured, you are ready to test the light. Make sure you have bulbs in the light fixture. Then turn the electricity back on by at the service panel, and turn on the light.

If it works, you're a genius! If not, simply turn off the power again, unscrew it all and see where you may have gone wrong. It may be something as simple as a blown light bulb, so one of the first things to do is to check the bulb by placing it in another fixture.

If it works, then check the instructions that came with the fixture and make sure you have followed them correctly. Make sure the plastic connectors are securely holding the wires and that you have the correct wires held together (white to white, black to black etc).

Installing home lighting fixtures can be a simple home improvement diy project and a great place to start if you are new to do-it-yourself. Great decorative lighting can be yours in less than an hour.