EASY OUTLET UPDATE
2 Materials
$8
20 Minutes
Medium
One morning, I reached in my bathroom to turn on the light, and the switch moved, but it didn't connect, and the light wouldn't come on. That old switch had finally given out.
I took a picture of the old switch, because I knew it would be difficult to find. It was a combo switch/outlet, and dark brown.
I turned off the breaker for the bathroom. Then, using a headlamp and a screwdriver, I took the cover off and pulled the outlet out enough to take pictures of the wiring. I did that to make sure to get the correct replacement.
Having all of my breakers correctly labeled was a tremendous help when I needed to do this job!
Next, I had to hunt for a replacement. I went to my local hardware store first, hoping they would have one. They didn't, but still saved me a trip to the electrical supply store by telling me where to find it.
I then went to Lowe's, on their recommendation, and was able to find a replacement combo switch/outlet. I ended up having to buy an outlet cover, too, because they didn't carry the combo switch in that dark brown.
I did it!
When I got home, I finished pulling out the old combo switch and replaced it with the new one. Then I covered it with the new cover. I didn't take any in process pictures of the replacement, but it's simply the reverse of removing the old one. The most difficult part was pulling enough slack in the wires to put them around the poles (screws). I put the difficulty at medium only because you need to be sure your power is cut off before attempting any electrical work, no matter how simple.
I wasn't in love with the dark brown, so it didn't hurt my feelings to replace it with an ivory one. This was the only color available. I'll eventually have to do something with all the outlets and switches in my bathroom, because they're still dark brown.
For now, I'm very pleased with myself every time I reach through the door in my bathroom and turn on the light!
Comments
Join the conversation
4 of 15 comments
-
I have some I need to fix. Just want to say that when I paint a room I take the switch plates and outlet covers off and paint them. I give them two coats. Looks so much better. Also, if I ever need to buy a small amount of paint for touch up, I take the cover to the store and they can match perfectly.
-
Great job and idea (I wouldn't have thought of pics). Plus the beige I think looks great.
-
Thank you, Debbie!
-
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?