How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture?
There are many reasons why you would want to replace your old light fixture with an up-to-date model. The most common reason is that the old one has gone out of style or you simply do not like it anymore.
Replacing a light fixture, however, may prove to be more difficult than you thought because fixtures tend to have specific instructions for installation.
How to replace a basement light fixture?
1) Turn off the power at the breaker box
– Your first step must be turning off the electricity in your home.
You should then check if all lights are turned off by testing each switch at the panel and ensure there are no remaining power supplies running through outlets in other rooms of your home. Once done, take note of where the power cables are connected to your old light fixture.
2) Disconnect the power
– Once again check the breaker box to ensure there are no power supplies running through outlets in other rooms. If everything is safe, unscrew the bulbs and unscrew the grounding screws from the electrical box before slowly pulling out each wire connection.
You should mark them so you know which wires go where when you install your new light fixture.
3) Remove old fixtures
– To remove an old fixture, hold it with both hands and use a firm grip while turning it counter-clockwise until all of its sides have completely detached from the wall plate or ceiling mount.
4) Inspect wires
– Before wiring up, your new light fixture make sure you inspect your existing electrical cables to see if any of them are bare or damaged.
If so, you will need to get new wires and install a junction box before beginning the installation process.
5) Wire up your new fixture
– To begin wiring up your new light, put on some work gloves and ensure that each cable is connected properly in accordance with what color goes where.
You should also try to leave about 3″ of slack when hanging up the light fixture for easier connections in case something goes wrong during installation.
6) Reinstall the light
– Once everything is wired correctly, turn the power back on at the breaker panel and test out all of your lights to see which one isn’t working right.
Lastly, reattach or cover up any remaining exposed wire ends before screwing in your new light fixture.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture?
Do you need an electrician to change a light fixture?
Unless you have previous electrical experience, you should always hire a licensed electrician for any electrical project, including installing a light fixture.
Changing a light fixture is a simple, do-it-yourself project. Although not complicated, it will require electrical expertise. That’s because you have to deal with the wires behind the switch box and remove some of them. This requires working on materials that can be deadly if not handled properly.
So if you don’t know what you’re doing, call an electrician to change your light fixture for safety reasons.
But even if you already knew how to handle this kind of job, make sure you hire an experienced electrician like Aladdin Electric USA Corp to replace your existing light fixture with another type.
It is best to leave these types of jobs in the hands of professionals who work with different materials every day and are familiar with the safety precautions.
What will you need?
First, determine the type of light fixture you want to install. Will it be a chandelier? Or track lighting? Once you have your new light fixture, open its box and check if all parts are included.
If not, call the manufacturer for replacements or refer to their website for information on getting what you need.
Next, disconnect your current light fixture from the electric circuit by turning off the power which is located outside your house near the main panel box. Then remove existing light fixtures – carefully detach them from ceiling wires without damaging any of them by using a screwdriver. This part is important because it will allow you to attach them to your new light fixture once you’re done.
For chandeliers: Because they are not hung from the ceiling by wires, there is no need to detach them from the electric circuit.
Use a stepladder and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install your light fixture. If you want to install a new light fixture on an existing tree, use a step-ladder and refer to the manufacturer’s installation guide for their recommended safety measures.
Track lighting needs at least one side of it attached to the ceiling or wall as well as three connections – two on each end of the power supply and one on each end of the track head where lights will be connected. Track heads can also be connected with connectors such as “quick links.”
Follow manufacturers’ guidelines for more information on specific types of track lighting.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture? (Cre: doityourself)
What are the next steps?
First, connect your new light fixture to the ceiling or wall wiring using provided fasteners. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions because every fixture should have specific installation guides to prevent difficult installations and accidents. Then attach all track heads along with power supplies using “quick links” if you’re using a track lighting system.
Check that everything is connected properly – turn on the circuit breaker and test the lights to make sure everything works as expected before finally replacing old light fixtures.
When you’re done, attach all wires inside the switch box one by one – do not strip them for this step like you did when removing old light fixtures. You can now attach your new light fixture securely in place without worrying about short-circuiting, overloading the electric circuit, or anything else that can put your life at risk.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture? (cre: familyhandyman)
How do you change a basement light?
As a non-licensed amateur, you simply take the bulb out of its fixture and screw it into an identical one that is now resting on the floor. The old bulb goes into the new fixture. Presto! Done! And since you’ve replaced it with another bulb, your homeowner’s insurance won’t be impacted. Congratulations on taking the first step toward improving your home’s lighting.
How do you change a basement light?
A lot more complicated than what I described above (which was actually based on my own recent experience), but this time involving professionals; electricians. Let me explain.
In early 2011, I purchased a home that was built in 1907. In this time period, the basement served as the primary working area for at least one of the homeowners (the other living on the main floor) and was still filled with much of his handiwork from this era. A few examples: a custom-built cabinet, a machine shop workbench, a wall dedicated to old clocks and tools, etc.
Amongst the old stuff was a single light bulb hanging over what used to be a workbench. It had been dangling from its cord for decades until it finally gave up sometime around 2007 when one of many floods caused by burst pipes knocked it down into an inaccessible corner between two studs where it continued to burn brightly for at least another three years.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture? (cre: artofmanliness)
How can I make my basement light better?
Lighting in a basement is very important because it creates a great deal of the atmosphere. Without proper lighting, a basement will feel cramped and dull. The presence of too much light in your basement can be counterproductive as well, but there are ways to make sure you get the right balance.
In order to determine what type of lighting you need, you must first find out what purpose your basement will serve. If yours will be used for storage or laundry purposes only, then low-wattage lamps or under-cabinet lights might suffice for your needs.
However, if one day you hope to use your basement as a little apartment for guests or even yourself, then brighter lights may be required – especially over the kitchen area that would also double as a living room.
Before you buy, look over all the lighting fixtures available to choose one that suits your purpose best. There are several options for different types of basement lighting. Here are just a few:
– Track Lighting:
this is great for high-wattage bright lights. If you opt for track lighting, make sure there are enough tracks or bars to fit all your lightbulbs on it – otherwise don’t bother with it at all. Make sure the bulbs are easy to replace too! This type of system can be quite expensive if not done right and tends to be more decorative than functional in my opinion.
– Kitchen under cabinet lights :
these provide gentle illumination right where you need them. They come in various colors which can also make for a nice touch.
– Recessed or can lights :
these are ceiling fixtures that provide bright light and must be installed by professionals – they’re rather expensive as well, but they do give off a lot of light and can even double as storage space thanks to the open design of the fixture.
– Accent lighting:
accent lighting is an excellent way to provide mood lighting without it being so bright your eyes hurt. It’s also not likely to wake you up if you sleep down there at night! This includes desk lamps, track lighting, and other such options. Just remember: always put safety first when using electricity in your basement because moisture does not mix well with electrical components. If you don’t know anything about electricity or need it installed, call a professional to do the job for you.
Always put safety first when using electricity in your basement because moisture does not mix well with electrical components. If you don’t know anything about electricity or need it installed, call a professional to do the job for you.
Lighting is one of those things that can make all the difference in how much use your basement gets. Having good lighting will inspire you and others to spend more time there – which will actually end up saving you money! So put down that remote and turn off the TV: it’s time to go downstairs and bask in some soft light…
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture?
How can I add more light to my basement?
There are a few ways you can add more light to your basement. If it has large windows, then adding some curtains or shades will help diffuse the natural light that enters from outside.
You can also use artificial lighting sources such as lamps and ceiling lights.
However, if natural light is not an option for you because of your design of the house itself, there are a few other options you have – which we’ll be going through hereafter – to help enhance the amount of light in your basement:
1) Make use of reflective surfaces
Adding mirrors around your home is one great way to reflect as much natural light as possible into the rooms where you need them most. The more mirrors inside the room, the better; however, they must be placed in strategic locations.
2) Decorate with light colors
Paint the walls of your basement with light colors to reflect as much natural light as possible into the room. This also makes your basement feel lighter and larger, which is an added advantage if you are planning to rearrange your living room or bedroom there.
For example, painting the walls white will make them look brighter than those painted in darker colors such as brown or dark green; however, paint choices such as eggshell (or egg-white), pearl-gray, and pastels can make a huge difference as well.
3) Use glass partitions
Glass partitions separate spaces without obstructing light flow from one section of the room to the other; thus allowing for more natural light.
If you have a basement split into two parts with glass partitions, then each section will feel brighter and more spacious than before!
4) Use skylights
Skylights allow natural light to come in from above.
This is excellent if the upper level of your house has lots of windows, but it’s also great when they are placed near the ceiling in basements where there is no other means of getting natural light.
While some skylights can be quite expensive depending on their size and type, they continue to be a popular choice among homeowners because they add beauty and elegance to any interior design scheme they’re part of. Depending on how many windows you have in your home, adding skylights can easily cost anywhere from $300 to $1000.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture?
5) Install under-cabinet lighting
Adding under-cabinet lights can help bring extra light into the room, as well as make them look more attractive and stylish.
If you have a modern or contemporary style of interior design, then this will definitely suit you perfectly!
Note that the cost of adding lights like these differs from one contractor to another, as it depends on how many lights your home needs; however, we recommend that you start with around four to six lights per cabinet (if they’re long cabinets) for an estimate.
The price range is usually between $40 and $90 per light.
6) Get exterior windows installed
This option may be out of most people’s budget, but if you feel that it’s worth it then go ahead and make the investment. Installing exterior windows will allow natural light to come in from outside, thus bringing more brightness to your basement rooms.
However, exterior basement windows are quite pricey; they start at $300 each (for small window sizes) but can go up as high as $800 or even $1000 per window!
Still, if aesthetics is what you’re going for – and let’s be honest, most people invest in their homes because of how they look – then this option is definitely a great choice.
7) Use dimmers
If you have low ceilings in your basement, installing dimmer switches on your lights is a good way to add some ‘spice’ to the room.
What this does is allow you to control the amount of light that comes into your home, which means if you want to make the room brighter during the daytime so you can see more easily, then go ahead. On the other hand, dimming them down at night will give your basement an intimate or romantic feel.
8) Install accent lighting
Accent lighting makes any room look more stylish and luxurious; for this reason, they are great additions to basements as well!
Specialists recommend adding at least one light source per each corner of a basement room – just be sure not to overdo it – for strategic purposes. You can also highlight certain features in the room with dimmed accent lights. The good news is that these don’t cost much and you can easily do them yourself.
9) Use bottom track lighting
Bottom track lighting is an excellent way to highlight beautiful architectural features such as moldings, baseboards and doorways; but they’re also great for highlighting the beauty of your home’s interior design!
Placing lights around these features will give basements a more expensive look, which can make all the difference in terms of how others perceive the value of your home.
If you want to invest in this type of lighting, we recommend that you budget anywhere from $100 to $300 per light (including installation).
10) Don’t be afraid to go with LED lighting
LED lights are now very popular among homeowners because they don’t cost much and yet they give off a very bright light – so much so that they can easily replace the need for natural light or accent lighting in some cases.
You can install them around your home and especially in dark corners, and you won’t go wrong with the results!
11) Use ceiling lights
A basement room with no overhead lighting seems incomplete, but using pendants and chandeliers over kitchen tables isn’t an option either because they’re too small.
However, there’s one type of lighting that does work well in most basements: LED track lights! These are excellent options because they don’t cost much to install (around $25 per square foot) and you can use them as needed on any part of your ceiling wall.
How To Replace a Basement Light Fixture?
12) Utilize recessed lighting
If you’re looking to save on electricity, then installing recessed lighting is the way to go. The good news is they are actually very easy to install and they look excellent!
The bad news, however, is that these lights aren’t cheap; in fact, most will cost around $20 per fixture.
Furthermore, they can be quite expensive when it comes time to replace the bulbs. If you’re not comfortable with DIY work or if money is an issue for you right now, then this option might not be your best bet.
13) Use LED tape lights outdoors
One of the great things about using LED tape lights outdoors is that they don’t require much maintenance. Because their life span is so long – around 20 years – you won’t have to replace them anytime soon!
If this is what you need, then we recommend looking for LED tape lights that come with an aluminum coating. This will protect the unit from water damage and corrosion – which means they’ll last a lot longer outdoors.
14) Use LED strip lights indoors
LED strip lights can be a great addition to a basement because they are versatile and easy to install. On top of that, they don’t cost much at all!
However, it is important that you check if they’re safe around moisture features such as pools or hot tubs before using them in any part of your home.
Conclusion
By the time I showed up, it was burnt out. Since my intention was to do just about everything possible in this house differently than it had been done before, I immediately researched the cost of replacing this bulb.
The answer? $3 – 4 just for parts which would be labor-intensive since it required removing the studs surrounding the fixture hole and opening up a channel around two sides of them so they could fit back in when complete.
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