No matter how much you love the lighting in your kitchen, there comes a time when it must be replaced. The good news is if you have fluorescent lighting, the process is not terribly difficult. In fact, if you have a little handyman (or woman) in you, you should have no problems switching them out.
To make your life easier, let’s take a look at the steps you would need to take to replace your fluorescent kitchen lights. You’ll see that with a little hard work, the process will be pretty simple.
Choose Your New Fixtures
The first step in updating your fluorescent lights is choosing the right fixtures. If you haven’t updated your kitchen in a while then you might have older tube fixtures that use T-12-sized lamps. However, if you want to update these fixtures then it’s good to choose newer T-8 or T-5 tube lights. They not only look better and more current, but they are also environmentally friendly and easier on your wallet.
Cut Your Power and Remove Old Fixture
Before you begin working with any light fixtures, you always want to cut your power. This is done by shutting your circuit off. Remember, some kitchens may have more than one circuit, so be sure to get them all before you touch your fixtures.
Once the power is off, you can remove the old fixture by disconnecting the wiring. It may be connected by wire nuts. Simply unscrew them then set them aside for later use.
Add the New Fixture
After you have safely removed your old fixture, now’s the time to add the new one. First, hang the new fixture without tightening the fasteners securely so that you can pass the wiring through it and allow the ballast wires to connect. Once this is done, you can fasten the fixture to the ceiling.
Next, connect the ballast wiring to the house wiring using the wire nuts you set to the side earlier. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s wiring instructions to ensure the lights will work. Once you’re done, you can attach your light fixture cover one side at a time then turn the power back on to test your fixture.
It’s good to know that you could change your own fixtures if you desire. So what are you waiting for? The time is now to shop for more fluorescent lights to bring your kitchen the upgraded flair it deserves.