A dimmer switch can be a great way to control the lighting level in a room and save energy at the same time. You have the ability to make small changes in light levels'to set the mood in a dining room for a romantic dinner, lower the levels in a child's room, or even give you flexibility with outdoor lighting. You also save energy by cutting down on electricity bills and extend the life of most light bulbs.

Installing one is fairly easy. Cut the power at the circuit breaker and follow these steps:

?Remove the wall plate then unscrew the switch mounting screws.

?Grab the switch by its flanges and pull it straight out. With a circuit tester, double check to make sure the circuit is not still electrically charged. The tester won't light up if there is still power.

?Unscrew the wires from the terminals. If they are stuffed into holes in the back of the switch, use a screwdriver to free them. Straighten the ends of the wires, snip them off, and strip the ends again.

?Use a wire nut to connect the dimmer's green ground wire to the bare copper or green ground wire in the switch box.

?Next, connect one of the dimmer's black wires to each of the two black wires in the box.

?Be sure that the connections are tight. Carefully push the wires into the box to make room for the dimmer. Position the dimmer, and screw it to the mounting holes on the box.

?Lastly, replace the faceplate. Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker and then try it out your new switch.

Good luck with your project and I hope that you are happy with the performance of the switch.