How To Install a Dimmer Switch
March 26, 2009
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Step-by-step tutorial on how to install a dimmer switch.
Yes, you can install your own dimmer switch, no electrician needed!
I think lighting is one of the most inexpensive and easiest ways to create a mood in your home. I cannot express how much a dimmer switch will change the lighting in your room, for around $20.
There are a few things to consider when purchasing your dimmer switches, and I'll go over that as well.
Dimmers come in a big selection of styles and you'll pay more for more bells and whistles.
Dimmers come in a big selection of styles and you'll pay more for more bells and whistles.
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I like these dimmer switches with a toggle and use them all of the time:
This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.
See my policies and disclosure page for more information.
You can absolutely use dimmers on LED lights -- just make sure the dimmer supports it.
I have found that almost all modern dimmer switches work for both LED and incandescent, and one-way or three-way light switches.
When you open it up, this is what you'll see:
The only tools you should need are a Phillips head screwdriver and a flat head screwdriver:
Go to the switch for the light you are changing out and turn it on.First so you can tell if you get the right breaker and second, it's a real PITA when you've run down a set of stairs, through the house and to the garage, turned off the breaker, run back through the house, up the stairs and then realized YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHICH SWITCH YOU ARE WORKING WITH! Whew.
Go to the breaker box, and turn the switch to off:
Make sure the light is NOT working.
Some electricians will do this work without turning off at the breaker -- just the power off is fine for simple jobs like this. I'm an absolute freak about making sure the power is off though.
Go to the breaker box, and turn the switch to off:
Make sure the light is NOT working.Some electricians will do this work without turning off at the breaker -- just the power off is fine for simple jobs like this. I'm an absolute freak about making sure the power is off though.
I've learned over the years even if the light is off there can still be power running to the switch.
I use a voltage tester EVERY time to insure there is zero power to the switch. Just to make sure.
Now you are free to use your flat head screwdriver to take off the switch plate. This is what you'll see:
Use your Phillips screwdriver to take the actual switch off the wall:
Then pull the whole switch out. There will be a wire connected to the green ground screw, and two wires connected to the switch -- either stuck inside it or tightened under the screws:
See that little bitty slat below? You'll want to use a small flathead screwdriver and push it in while you pull the wire out of the little hole above it. (If your wires are in there. See above.)
Sometimes you'll need a really tiny flathead -- it just depends on the switch. If you're strong you can just pull it out.
Next, just follow the directions. Wrap the copper ground wire around the green wire on the dimmer:
Cap it off with the enclosed nut. Just stick it on the end and twist it. This ensures the wires stay connected and protected:
Then simply connect the other wires to those on the dimmer. With these it doesn't matter what wire is hot (black) and cold (white). But just in case, read the directions that come with your dimmer!
Twist together and twist the nut on:
Gently push all the wires back into the wall box:
That's it!! Told you it was easy.
See that little bitty slat below? You'll want to use a small flathead screwdriver and push it in while you pull the wire out of the little hole above it. (If your wires are in there. See above.)
Sometimes you'll need a really tiny flathead -- it just depends on the switch. If you're strong you can just pull it out.Next, just follow the directions. Wrap the copper ground wire around the green wire on the dimmer:
Cap it off with the enclosed nut. Just stick it on the end and twist it. This ensures the wires stay connected and protected:
Then simply connect the other wires to those on the dimmer. With these it doesn't matter what wire is hot (black) and cold (white). But just in case, read the directions that come with your dimmer!Twist together and twist the nut on:
Gently push all the wires back into the wall box:
That's it!! Told you it was easy. Screw the dimmer switch back onto the plate:
Go to turn on the breaker switch to make sure it is working. Again, make sure the light works.
Go to turn on the breaker switch to make sure it is working. Again, make sure the light works.
Then go ahead and put the plate back on. Make sure all the little screws go the same way:
This part is optional. ;) So many issues, so little time.
I've installed dimmers in pretty much every room in our house.
I have all of our ceiling fan lights on dimmers. Our master bath light is on a dimmer -- FABULOUS on dark mornings. All of our recessed lighting is on dimmers.
Dimmers on your lights will save you money over time. We've been in this house five years and just last week changed out two recessed lights. They lasted FIVE years!
Disclaimer: MAKE SURE the breaker is turned off. If you've not tried this project, do your own research as well and try this at your own risk.
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I love me some dimmers. I have one in every room too. Although that is the one thing I can get my hubby to do. I rewired my dryer when we were first married and zapped myself good and now hubs won't let me do anything electrical ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tutorial. I'm definitely installing dimmers when we buy our own house.
ReplyDeleteI love dimmers and want more in our house! However, I was still hyperventilating when it came to the wires part. Why do wires scare me? I want to put a dimmer in our bathroom first. I'll buy the kit, and if DH won't do it, I'll give it a try. I think.
ReplyDeleteSheryl
My husband, an electrician, would be so proud of you for lining up the screws on the switch plate. He always says that you can tell when an electrician takes pride in their work because all the screws will be vertical. Great tutorial on how easy it is to change to dimmers!
ReplyDeleteYou lost me at electrical. lol.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your decorating ADD. I have the same thing, and I was like, "uh-huh, uh-uh, uh-huh, OH PRETTY PILLOWS!, uh-huh, uh-huh." :)
I also love your little video demonstration. I was making sound effects in my head, especially when you were going up & down, up & down. lol
Oh, this makes me so happy! I was just telling DH how nice a dimmer switch would be in our media room but I didn't think I could do it. Thanks for the tutorial :) AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, I am so impressed. I would love to put dimmers in the kitchen, but have to admit that I'm a little bit afraid of electricity. I don't want to get shocked. But hubby is out of town, and how fun would it be to prove I could do something like this without him around?! Might have to try it... Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI needed this...do you know that I found my dimmer switch that I bought years ago, but never put up since I didn't know how (and neither did my hubby). Now we will. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this idea!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't changed out our recessed lights either and it's been three years.
Got that catalog yesterday too!
Happy weekend to you.
~Melissa :)
Dimmers aren't usually compact florescent bulb safe, so you might not want to install dimmers on the fixtures that you use those bulbs in or you'll start wondering why you're going through lightbulbs so fast *L*
ReplyDeleteUgh. This is coming soon, too! To dim, or not to dim, THAT is the question.
DeleteLove this post. I had mentioned to my hubby that I would like him to put a dimmer in the dining when he gets a chance. He has a HUGE honey-do list at the moment. After your kickin' tutorial I think this is one of those jobs I can handle myself. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial! But I am still a little scared. I may give it a try though
ReplyDeleteLove Ballard - just got my catalog too! Oh, the possibilities!!!
I let Hubby do it since he's the electrical engineer in this family... otherwise you'd hear zzzzttt. That would be me with smoke coming from my ears and falling to the floor upon being electrocuted...LOL
ReplyDeleteDi
The Blue RIdge Gal
Thank goodness I married an electrician and don't have to do any of this stuff on my own. I actually tried to change a switch out by myself (because the hubby couldn't find 5 minutes to do it for me), but I didn't get the memo about turning off the breaker. So after I complained to him of being electrocuted he decided to help me out and change it.
ReplyDeleteI get made fun of for making sure the screws in my switch plates are turned the same...so glad to see there's somebody else who has OCD, too..ha! ha!
ReplyDeleteyou rock girl!!!!
ReplyDeleteamazing!!!
We have some dimmers in our living room and our basement and I love them, especially when we are watching a movie or something and want them turned down a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tutorial! Hubs showed me what he was doing when he installed our dimmer, so I think I could actually feel comfortable doing this. Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteFabulous tutorial!
ReplyDeleteLook at you and your handy little self! Great tutorial! Now I'm thinking of rooms in my house that would be perfect with a dinner switch...hmmm, the possiblities.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I chose a horrible day to have a giveaway. Everyone's unplugged! I've made a note to self to plan better next time :).
My husband & I just installed nice, fresh looking outlets & switches in our 1950's house the other day. What a difference!! But, now I wish I would have thought about dimmers...
ReplyDeleteI'm loving the idea of dimmers in the bathroom! Great idea. And, thanks for making sure the screws are all "pointing" the same direction. That kind of thing makes me c-r-a-z-y!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm a follower. I had a little time this morning and I was poking around some of your old posts on molding. You seriously, seriously, seriously need to have your own show on HGTV!! You do some amazing stuff!! Glad I found you!
ReplyDeleteL-U-V this post...I've always wanted to install a dimmer light but didn't want to pay an electrician $50 bucks an hour. You just save me some serious bucks!
ReplyDeleteMerci beaucoup!
-marie
I'm on it!! Get back to you on Monday!!
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial--thanks for getting so detailed. Some people (cough, cough) have nervous breakdowns about handy stuff like that...I want to learn so I don't have to wait 5 years for T to get around to my "honey-do" list. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love dimmers too, but they won't work with flourescent light bulbs! Boo-hoo!
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial! My personal fave was the way you lined up those screws. I have been known to go around my entire house to make sure those screws are all going the same way. Wow, maybe I need a hobby? I also love some dim lighting - I will be adding dimmers to my bathroom - great idea.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your ideas...especially the hemming tape!!
ReplyDeleteI left an award for you on my blog. Have a great weekend!
I ♥ how you wrote this post. Perfect for someone like me. Keep the how-to's comin' girl!
ReplyDelete♥Jen
This lesson came at a great time for me. I had just bought a new
ReplyDeletevanity light for a bathroom to replace one that I HATED for years, but hated to have to call an
electrician...etc. ( my husband canNOT do those things...)
Decided I KNOW I can do that myself, read up on the internet, and your tutorial just reinforced
what I was fixing to do ! Got it done today with NO PROBLEM and it
looks great! Thanks for the boost!
looks great!
Fun read! You've made it look real easy. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteOh yea! We just bought our FIRST HOME and I'm so excited to decorate, but am clueless! I'll be using your site!
ReplyDeleteLuckily, the hubs handles all things electrical aroundhere, but bless your little heart for taking all those pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE dimmers and have them installed all over the house. One thing that is not favorable to dimmers is the new light bulbs. Unless the new "energy saving" light bulbs say that they are DIMMABLE, they probably are not! Be sure to check when you buy them. The ONLY dimmable new light bulbs I have found are a flood light shape. I hope more are going to be made available.
ReplyDeleteOMG, we are sistas ;)
ReplyDeleteAsk my husband, the electrician, how much I whine and whine until I get a dimmer switch put into a room. I want them on ALL lights, even lamps, I just hate harsh light.
Those things are expensive though and it seems that everytime we need one, it's a $20 or more kind, ugh! We live in a quad style home with lots of steps, so there are lots of 'double' switchs for the same light..if that makes sense...and they are more expensive.
I found this post from Jon's blog from CSN Lighting :)
Did this over the weekend. This was cake considering I've wired at least two ceiling fans by myself. I just never even thought of putting dimmers on the extreme lights in my home until I read this. My husband sits in the TV room with the ceiling fan light on all the time and it is GLARING. I hate that thing!
ReplyDeleteI knew someday I'd come back to this post, and that day was TODAY! It only took me 11 months.... My husband installed a dimmer in our bathroom over the summer and it took him and a friend an hour. (and 3 months of me prodding before that one hour) I decided to buy 3 today at the store and just installed the first one. Probably took me 10 min. Thanks for the tutorial and the pictures!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I just put dimmer switches on my shopping list. I'll be putting them into our dining room, living room ceiling fan light, master bedroom, and bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteNow if it were only so easy to put recessed lights in our kitchen!!!
Just purchased a nice dimmer switch for .97 and installed it in the dining room using your instructions...works like a charm! Thanks so much - I have really enjoyed your blog and now visit frequently. You have wonderfully creative ideas! I appreciate all the great information and inspiration! :-)
ReplyDelete