New lighting fixtures are very exciting, but home chandelier installation is not. Chandeliers are a beautiful addition to any home and almost any room. However, the installation of a chandelier is not easy.
A chandelier can add such elegance to your home, but not if it is smashed on the floor, or someone gets electrocuted. There are many things that can go wrong with DIY electrics, even for those who are experienced.
Safety Tips for Home Chandelier Installation
Anything to do with electricity is best left to those who are trained, experienced and licensed. There are too many risks for the layman.
Hire A Professional
Hiring an electrician is the best and most important safety tip for installing a chandelier in your home. Not only will they know what to do, they know how to do it.
Have the area you want to install the chandelier inspected first. This will give you a lot of important information before you even buy the chandelier. An older home may not even have the capacity for a large lighting fixture.
Weight
Knowing the weight allowance for your ceiling is very important. An electrician can tell you how much weight the ceiling can handle. The manufacturer of the chandelier should have a label with the weight and whether extra bracing or support is going to be needed.
The last thing you want is to have the chandelier come crashing down to the floor, destroying everything along the way. But, even a chandelier that isn’t too heavy is not easy to install.
Wiring
Most wiring installations are not cut and dried. Here is a good chance you won’t know what wire goes where, even if they seem to be color-coded. Removing an old lighting fixture to install a chandelier does not guarantee that the same procedure will hold true.
Standing at the top of a ladder with a 70-pound chandelier to be installed and then wondering which wire goes where is not how things are done. You risk electrocution, fire, shorting out something, even if you did cut the power.
There may be the need for extra wiring, as well. The chandelier needs to have electricity running through it, it needs to be grounded, and if there are other features, like a fan, then that needs attention, too.
Special Needs
Replacing your ceiling lighting fixture with a chandelier may require some extra help. That could be anything from extra support, extra wiring, or even more insulation.
Depending on the weight, or whether there is a fan attached, or it may need to be moved from the location where the existing light is now. It may not fit there, or it needs more support than that area simply can’t accommodate.
Hanging Distance
The last thing you want is to have to duck every time you walk into a room. Your electrician can tell you how high or low the chandelier needs to be. The chandelier should be a showcase and light up everything you want it to.
Plus, larger chandeliers may hang from chains or other attachments. Those need to be the same length so the chandelier isn’t installed crooked or tilted to one side. This can cause it to completely break free.
Home Chandelier Installation
Don’t risk injury or damage to your home by trying to install your chandelier by yourself. You need a few professionals to come in and do it for you. Why not give us a call here at Fusion Electric? We can help you install your chandelier or ceiling fan quickly and safely.
