Home Electrical Projects You Can Totally Handle Yourself

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Electrical projects around the home can seem scary if you've never done them before. But they don't have to be. Here are eight common electrical repairs and replacements that you can do yourself. No experience necessary.

Most of what we're talking about here deals with replacing fixtures. If your repair goes beyond that (say, rewiring a breaker panel or wiring up a new location in your home), please consult an electrician. Even if you think you have the skills to do the job, there are codes involved and you often need a permit.

Make Sure the Power is Off

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We're going to start with a safety note. When it comes to performing any electrical repairs, make sure the power is off. Your safety is just that simple. If there's no power, the repairs we talk about in this article are not only doable, but completely safe.

• Unplug it. If you're working on an appliance that can be unplugged, always unplug it. The only "appliance" on the list in this article is a lamp, but this advice goes when you're working on any electrical device. You should be aware, though, that some devices may have capacitors that store electrical charge even when unplugged. So unless you're sure, go with a pro.
• Turn off the breaker. Hopefully, your breaker panel is well-labeled. If it's not, we're going to deal with that a bit later in the article. If it is, just turn off the breaker that routes power to whatever you're working on. You'll probably see labels like "outlets on north wall in den" or "kitchen and living room lights."
• Find the right breaker. If your breaker panel isn't well-labeled, it's usually not too hard to find the right breaker. If the plug or light switch or whatever you're working on still works, turn it on. Go to the breaker panel and start turning off breakers one at a time until you get the right one. If it's an outlet, plug in a light or a radio and wait until it turns off. Obviously, if you have someone helping you out, this can go a lot faster. If you are repairing something that doesn't work, you can always use a multimeter to test whether it's still getting power.
• For maximum safety, turn the main power off. If you're just not sure you've found the right breaker and you don't have a good way to test, you can always turn off the main power for the house. The advantage of this is that you can be absolutely sure you've killed power to whatever you're working on. The disadvantage is that you won't have power for your tools or light to work by unless you have an alternative source.

And after you're absolutely sure you've disabled power to the right thing, check it again.

Replace a Light Switch

Perhaps your light switch has gone bad or you just want a new look or type of switch. Fortunately, replacing a light switch is a simple project. After you've turned the power off, all it takes is a screwdriver, a pair of pliers, and a few minutes.

The first thing you need to do, however, is make sure you've got the right kind of switch. The nomenclature can be a bit confusing, but the concept is really not. There are several types of light switches.

• Single Pole Switch. A one-pole switch controls one light fixture from a single location, such as a bedroom light with a single switch as you walk in the door. This is the most common type of switch you'll find in homes and you can see how easy it is to install in the video above from Ask the Builder.
• Double Pole Switch. A double-pole switch, unlike its name suggests, is still for controlling a single fixture from a single location. The difference is that it has two extra terminals for handling the additional hot wires necessary to control a 240 volt circuit. It's unlikely you'll be dealing with this type of switch.
• Three-Way Switch. A three-way switch allows you to control a single fixture from two different locations. For example, you might have a hallway with a single light (or string of lights) and switches at both ends. In this case, both switches need to be three-way switches. You can see how a three-way switch is installed in the following video.

• Four-Way Switch. A four-way switch allows you to control a single fixture from three different locations. You'll sometimes find them in really big rooms. When installing switches for three locations, you'll need to use one four-way switch and two three-way switches. You'll also use four-way switches in combination with three-way switches when you have fixtures controlled by more than three locations, but it starts getting a bit confusing. The best way to attack multi-location switching is to pull out the existing switches and use those as a guide to where the new switches go.
• Dimmer Switch. Dimmer switches are also available in each of these types and the installation process is pretty much identical to a regular switch.

Tools/materials you'll need:

• Screwdriver (Phillips or flat)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Multimeter (optional, for testing to make sure power is off)
• The right light switches

Replace an Outlet

Replacing an electrical outlet is just as easy as replacing a switch. In fact, it follow basically the same procedure and you don't need to worry nearly so much about getting the right type of outlet. Outlets come in three types:

• Ungrounded. An ungrounded outlet only has two holes. It doesn't have the round third hole used for grounding. You typically only see these in older houses.
• Grounded. This is the standard three-prong outlet you're probably most familiar with.
• Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFC or GFCI). This type of switch has a built-in breaker that automatically and instantly disconnects the switch, interrupting power in case of a short. You typically find them in areas that might be exposed to water or excessive moisture, like bathrooms, garages, and workshops.

If you're replacing an outlet, you'll typically go for whatever type of outlet is already in place. However, you might decide you want a GFC outlet instead of a normal grounded outlet in some locations. That's fine. The procedure for connecting them is identical.

What you don't want to do is just replace an ungrounded outlet with a grounded outlet. Yes, it would allow you to plug in those three-pronged plugs, but it won't magically turn it into a grounded outlet. For that, you need an electrician.

When it comes to replacing the outlet, the procedure is pretty simple. Make sure the power is off. Remove the faceplate and remove the screws holding the outlet in its box. Pull the outlet and wires out from the wall enough that you have space to work. Note where the white (neutral), black (power), and green or bare copper (ground) wires are attached on the existing outlet. Remove them and attach them to the same place on the new outlet. Turn the breaker on to test the outlet and, if it works, turn the breaker off and secure the outlet back into the wall. It's as simple as that.

Tools/materials you'll need:

• Screwdriver (Phillips or flat)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Multimeter (optional, for testing to make sure power is off)
• Replacement outlets you want to install