So what happened here was the original electrical box was way to small for the new and much larger switch. The process is more or less the same for a dimmer or three-way switch with some minor twists and turns. In this case I'm installing the motion sensing switch with a timer and a on/off button that you see above.
BASEMENT LIGHT SWITCH TEENAGENT INSTALL
How do you install a light switchīefore you can install a light switch you need to have a light switch. But first, let's start with the basic light switch installation steps. At the end of the post I have a list of 4 gotchas that make this easy project. Heck, even the back of the box shows it in 3 easy steps.Įxcept, it's not so easy if you haven't done it before. On the surface installing a light switch seems easy. Install a new motion sensing light switch. Regardless, each night I have to trudge down to the basement storage room, which is about 8 leagues under the sea, and check. Sometimes they remember, other times, not so much. I remind Charlotte and Christian about 2000 times per year to turn off the lights in the basement after feeding the cats. How do you install a light switch? It seems simple enough. Be sure to read Step 4 to see why this light switch installation was only just beginning. In some cases this might make the light not as flush with the ceiling, so it is worth paying attention to when making this choice.Seconds after this photo, I realized I had a big problem. On flat ceilings at the top of stairs of on landings, standard recessed lights will work perfectly to shine the light where you need it.įor sloped ceilings you will want a housing that allows the light to shine straight down, and not into your eyes as you go down the stairs. It is important to remember to select the right type recessed can lights for your ceiling. There are different sizes and depths of recessed lights that you can use depending on the space available in your overhead framing. This style of hardwired light is installed flush with the ceiling and allows you to keep the maximum height in the space while adding as much light as possible. Recessed or can lights can be a great option for basement stairways with low headroom. Install Recessed Lights In The Ceiling Of The Basement Stairway. Examples Of Surface Mount LED Lighting Options For A Basement Header:Ĭlick on the image to be taken to the seller’s website and learn more!Ĥ. One of the most popular styles for surface mount light fixtures to use above a basement door is an LED tube light that can sit along the top edge of the door, even when there is limited headroom between the door casing and the ceiling. This means the wire running to the light fixture will also be outside the wall, but we usually find a way to neatly conceal the wire by running it close to the door casing. The one catch with placing lighting above a basement door is that the light will need to be a surface mount light because the header above the door would not leave enough room for the electrical to be hidden in the wall.
Placing a light above the door can be an effective way to light all the way down a straight flight of stairs. One smart way to get light onto your basement stairway is by installing a light on the wall above the door going down into the basement. Lighting The Basement Stairway From Above The Door. Adding sufficient lighting in the basement stairway can make the trip into the basement more pleasant and increase the use of the space.ġ. The lack of light makes the space feel uncomfortable and unusable for the homeowners. In many homes without basement stairway lighting, we find people say they don’t even want to go down into the space. Adding lighting allows the visibility to be better and thus decrease the risk of tripping and falling.
Benefits Of Adding Basement Stairway Lightingīasement stairways can easily become hazardous places in a home when they aren’t adequately lit. These tight spaces can make finding a practical lighting option harder than other places in a home. Limited or low headroom above the stairs and on landings is the most common problem we see when trying to find the best stairway lighting options going into a basement.
BASEMENT LIGHT SWITCH TEENAGENT CODE
In older homes, the original building code may not have required the same amount of space we need to have in new homes today, or the basement was never planned to be a finished space and wasn’t a priority when planning the home’s layout. What Makes Basement Stairway Lighting Difficult?įiguring out lighting for basement stairways can be tricky for quite a few reasons, and most often they are linked to the age of the home.