Home Improvement: Light Switches

A light switch is a device that controls the lighting in a room with the touch of a button.

You might think that there isn't much variety when it comes to different designs of light switches - You couldn't be more wrong, however. There are many different styles available on the market, from the plain white light switches that you probably see everyday, to fancy designer light switches that can really make a huge difference in the appearance of a room. You would be surprised how much a nice looking light switch can improve a room's image. While you can find many inexpensive, plain light switches at your local hardware store, if you want the more interesting looking ones you'll likely have to look for a specialty store or look for a store online that sells designer light switches. There are many options available - instead of the boring white plastic switches you would get at a hardware store, you can get designer light switches in stainless steel, chrome, brass, gold, silver, ivory, and pretty much any other material you can think of. The designs of the more expensive specialty switches tend to be much more extravagant and detailed as well. There are also switches that much more high-tech than your ordinary light switch, like "smart switches", and the Consumption Feedback Switch, which monitors your electricity usage and will actually shock you (ouch!) if it feels that you've gone over the limit. Apparently this is some attempt at a "green", environmentally friendly light switch. There are even some that don't even have switches (they are touch sensitive) or have remote controls to turn the lights on and off. And who could forget "The Clapper"? There really are a lot of options available in the world of light switches if you're willing to look for them.

One of the most confusing things about light switches is how to actually change a light switch. It's really not all that difficult, actually. All you need to do is turn off the power (this is important - you don't want to get electrocuted), remove the old light switch and connect the new one. It's really quite simple - just tighten some screws and you're ready to go. To make the process even simpler, you can buy a wireless light switch - No wires to mess with ever again!