It is when you’re in a hurry that everything starts to fail on you. So are the switches at your place. They’d trap you inside a dark room or lighten up the place way to much that it’ll set your place on fire!
Why worry when you can be proactive about it by grabbing the signals and the signs properly? Most switches will last for years and with a little cleaning, they are basically maintenance free.
Signs your light switch is wearing out!
- If you hear unusual sound such as a crackling or popping sound when you flip the switch, it could mean that the wires are damaged and live electricity is arcing inside the switch.
- If the switch feels hot, that could indicate a fire risk is about to happen. This is due to the excessive voltage running through the switch or potential problems with the wiring in your walls. It is highly recommended to call an electrician right away to ensure if the switch is still safe to use.
- When you see there is a delay when you flip the switch and the light comes on after a while, there is a large chance that the electrical contacts are wearing out. This will not likely create a fire hazard but it means the switch will stop working real soon.
Time for you to find an electrician!
If it does not seem like a very critical and a dangerous sign, then the following steps will help you to educate yourself on how to replace a switch. If not, you can always use QuickHelp to book an electrician in Sri Lanka!
- Turn off the power to the switch at the main circuit breaker or fuse panel.
- Unscrew and remove the switch plate; then use a tester to make sure that their is no flow of current.
- Unscrew the switch from the electrical box and pull it out with the wires still attached.
Two or three wires will be attached to the switch: an incoming electric wire, which is brown; a return wire, which carries the load to the fixture and may be blue; and sometimes an earth wire, which is green. There may be other wires in the box, but you are only dealing with the ones connected directly to the switch.
- Compare your new switch with the one you’re replacing to find the corresponding locations for the electrical screw connectors.
Because the power is off, you can match up the connectors the easy way: Instead of disconnecting all the wires at once and possibly getting confused, unscrew and connect one wire at a time using a pair of pliers.
- Attach the first wire you unscrew to the screw hole on the new switch as it was on the old; do the same with the second.
To connect a wire to a terminal, strip off about 1/2 inch, using a paper/wire cutter, and twist the end into a clockwise loop with a pair of pliers. Hook the wire clockwise around the screw so when you tighten the screw with a screwdriver, the clockwise force of the tightening screw makes the loop wrap tighter around the screw.
- Gently push the new, wired switch back into the electrical box and screw it in place.
- Screw on the switch plate and turn on the power.
aaaaaaaand… you’ve just replaced a light switch and saved your home from a potential electric threat!
QuickHelp let’s you book professional, experienced and reliable electricians in a click of a button! Our Electricians in Sri Lanka are experienced and trained to figure out and fix all your electric issues!
[button size=”medium” style=”primary” text=”Book an Electrician now!” link=”https://www.quickhelp.lk/service/book-electricians-sri-lanka/”][button size=”medium” style=”primary” text=”Call us on 766631070″ link=”https://www.quickhelp.lk/service/book-electricians-sri-lanka/”]
