This post is sponsored by radiant by Legrand. All views and opinions shared in this post are my own.
When renovating a space, outlets and switches are often overlooked. Leaving them in place really dates the house. Replacing outlets and switches is both affordable and easy to do…so why not replace them??
The switches in our home were the original cream ones that had been painted white, and the paint had worn off in spots. The outlets were not only difficult to plug in to, they were also scratched and looked very worn. Every time I saw the old outlets and switches throughout our home, I would cringe.
As a homeowner, I tend to notice all of the little imperfections of my home that others might not notice. It is really important to me to love every little corner of our home. What is the old saying…the devil is in the details??
Here is how I easily updated my kitchen by replacing the old, dated outlets and switches with the sleek, modern radiant by Legrand collection.
Turn off the power
I am all about safety, therefore, I don’t even take the wall plates off until I turn off the power. To do this, I locate the correct breaker in our circuit breaker and turn it off. Our breaker panel was labeled based on the original electrical installation. I never trust that the breakers are correctly labeled.
In order to double check that the power is off, I use a non-contact voltage tester at the switch or outlet. The beauty of a non-contact tester is that I can quickly test the power without taking off the wall plates. My tester turns red and beeps if the power to the outlet or switch is still on. If you do not have a tester, you can plug a light into outlets or flip light switches on and off to ensure the power is off. Once I confirm that the power is off, I remove the wall plates.
Disconnect the existing outlet or switch
After the wall plates are removed, I remove the outlet or switch from the electrical box. Before removing any wires, I take a close look at how the existing outlets and switches are wired. If I have any questions about the wiring, I take a picture of how it is wired. This way, I can look back at the picture when wiring the new outlet or switch.
I fully disconnect the old outlet or switch before I wire the new one. I disconnect each wire one at a time, ensuring that no two wires touch. I also keep the wires in the same position that they were previously wired in.
Review the Wiring Diagram
Each outlet and switch comes with an installation manual that includes a wiring diagram. It is important to review the wiring diagram before wiring anything. After I review the wiring diagram, I began wiring the new outlet or switch.
Install the New Outlets and Switches
Before I attempt to wire the new outlets and switches, I loosen the terminal and grounding screws. I then wire each terminal one at a time, still ensuring that no two wires touch. I tighten all of the screws and give a little tug on each wire to ensure that they are all secure under the terminal screws.
One thing to note about electrical installations over tile or shiplap is that spacers may be necessary. The plastic box that was installed prior to the tile or shiplap remains in place, but the outlet or switch moves further out. This creates a space between the outlet or switch and box. In order to properly support the outlet or switch, these spacers can be added to the screws before screwing the outlet or switch back into the plastic box.
Install the Screwless Wall Plates
The radiant by Legrand collection outlets and switches are installed with the really sleek looking screwless wall plates. Legrand included easy to follow installation instructions on the wall plate packaging.
It comes in two pieces – the first piece attaches to the outlet or switch with small screws and the second piece simply snaps into the first.
The modern design of the outlets and switches paired with the screwless wall plates really give the space a more modern feel!
Wireless Phone Charger
One of my favorite items in the radiant by Legrand collection is the wireless charger! When looking at it online, I was totally confused how it would work in an existing single outlet box. It is such a cool design…the wireless charger portion is basically just a wall plate that connects to the outlet base allowing it to be installed in place of any single outlet!
There is a clip where a phone rests while charging and a light indicating charge status. My phone fits in the clip and charges with the case on it…talk about convenience!
Outlet with built-in night light
My other favorite item that I selected from the radiant by Legrand collection is the outlet with built-in night light. I actually installed two of these in my kitchen…one on each side of our oven. We used to have a night light plugged in to one of our outlets. Not only did it take up an outlet, it was very unattractive.
These built-in night lights have four different brightness settings. You simply tap the light for the different settings and they turn on automatically when it gets dark. Legrand really did think of everything with this collection!
Overall, it took me less than half a day to replace the switches and outlets in my kitchen. I absolutely love all of the radiant by Legrand items that I installed! The best part…I no longer have to cringe when I see the old switches with chipped paint.
Note: I am not a professional and do not claim to be an expert. Please be sure to always read instructions for all tools and products. Safety is very important and should be your top priority. Wear necessary protection when using tools (eye wear, hearing protection, gloves, etc.) and dust masks when sanding or cutting. Simply Aligned Home is not responsible for any injury or damage.