Installing a dimmer in place of a regular light switch is very simple. The one wire that the dimmer has that you will not find in the light switch is a green wire that is meant to go to "ground". You simply secure this wire under the head of one of the large grounding screws that are in the...
Jason asks how to change from the old two-prong outlets to the modern and safer three-prong outlets.It is possible to run a separate ground wire all the way from the outlet to the electrical panel, which will give you the proper third wire you need. Just attaching a three-prong outlet to the t...
Dorian from Toronto, Ontario is looking for ways to hide wires that run along the kitchen wall.There are several products on the market, from vinyl to metal, that will encase surface wires, keeping them clean and safe. Most of them will accept any paint to help them blend into the wall. Unfortu...
My friend Keith the electrician from Accurate Electrical in Aurora, Ontario walked us through the installation of an outdoor outlet. Here are some interesting tips I picked up from him:On a brick wall, drill the wire hole and the screw anchor holes all on the face of one brick and not through...
John in Scarborough wanted to put a ceiling fan above his stairwell, but the existing electrical outlet was not in the middle. He tore the whole ceiling up (attic insulation and all) to manage to move the box over to the middle.We talked about his project and then I showed him the new light weigh...
Ken Houseley from the Monster Cable company came into studio to educate me a bit on surge protectors, but mostly on how to clean up the electrical current within our house.We all buy bus bars with surge protection for our computers, maybe even our more expensive TV sets and sound systems. Some o...
You have all seen, maybe even used the little foam gaskets that are supposed to block the cold air from coming in through the electrical outlets, as you can see my smoke pencil flowing through the outlet in the first photo. The air sealing experts at CanAm Air Sealing showed me how to make t...
Larry Gullins of G & G Electronics in Whitby, Ontario builds home theatres so we sought him out for some design recommendations.Locate the screen in the centre of a wall at the longest point in the room, not on the short side -- you need depth for the best effect. The best room shape is re...
Mat from Wellen, Ontario followed his buddy's instructions for wiring three lights together with a single switch on the other end of the room. They all came out dim.This is exactly why most provinces require you to get permits for electrical work, or even require licensed electricians for all...
I live in a basement suite and our lights and electrical outlets on one side of the suite blink and stutter a lot. We did have a flood thru the bathroom fan about 7 - 8 months ago and ever since that we have had the problem. The other thing we have noticed is when everything is blinking and s...
