Terry and LaShonda had lived in their home for two years. When they moved there, they thought the dining room chandelier was amazingly beautiful. It was easily the room’s focal point. But eventually, LaShonda saw a problem. The beautiful ceiling light fixture was hanging in the wrong place.
The previous owners had installed it off-center. That might have worked for the former residents’ dining room furniture arrangement, but it didn’t look “right” for the new homeowners.
How Hard Can It Be? Moving a Ceiling Light Fixture
Relocating a ceiling light fixture – even a foot or two – requires professional help. There are a lot of steps involved and as always, putting your safety at risk is never a good idea.
Contact your local Arizona electrical pros before you dive in. It may be cheaper than you think, and it will certainly be much faster. And easier. And less messy.
One DIYer (do-it-yourselfer) said she just aimed a drill where she wanted the ceiling light fixture to be mounted. Then she began drilling through the drywall. She hit something important, and the lights went out in half the house and wouldn’t turn on. “The repair cost more than having the electrician do the job right the first time,” she mourned.
The most important thing you need to know is this: What’s on top of the ceiling? Before we provide a quote for relocating a ceiling light fixture, we need to know if the ceiling is part of your attic.
- Does the attic have a floor? Many don’t.
- Which way do the room’s joists run?
- If the fixture is mounted running in the same direction as the joists, it’s not that complicated to feed the wiring.
- If the wiring needs to cross the joists, we may need to drill into the ceiling. The ceiling will need to be repaired or patched.
If the ceiling is not part of the attic, a hole will likely need to be drilled to re-install the housing and the light fixture’s wiring. The site where the wires all connect is called the “junction box.” The junction box protects the wiring types:
- Grounding – Returns electricity to the circuit breaker where it is then channeled to an outside rod
- Hot – carries electricity from the circuit breaker to the light source
- Neutral – Channels unused electricity back to the circuit breaker box/panel
The wires are color-coded.
Did you know approximately 300 million people are color-blind? A recent survey revealed more women are likely to DIY a home improvement project. This could be a good thing because one in 12 men is color-blind.
Another important consideration is the wall-mounted light switch. The chandelier in Terry and LaShonda’s dining room had a basic on/off switch. (Most dining rooms have dimmer-light switches.) A dimmer light changes the flow of electricity every time it’s used.
- You need to know the type of voltage your ceiling light fixture requires.
- You need to know what kind of outlet box you have.
- End-of-run
- Middle-of-run
Turn It On Electric For Lighting Upgrades
Terry and LaShonda now have a beautiful dining room setting that in her eyes is perfect. Moving a chandelier is a lighting upgrade that improved her quality of life.
That’s what lighting upgrades do. They reinforce home safety or enhance your lifestyle. If you’re considering any home improvement; moving a ceiling light fixture, installing security ground lights, or any renovation that requires electrical upgrades, contact TIO Electric.
