You need renovate electrical mechanisms of your home but you don’t know which model to choose? Within the tasks of domestic electricity, the renovation of the mechanisms is not one of the most complicated, although it is necessary to take into account a series of tips and recommendations that will facilitate this work.
There are different causes that make it necessary to renew electrical mechanisms:
- old models that have been damaged but for which there are no spare parts as they are discontinued.
- reforms including the renovation of the electrical installation.
- Mechanisms with the passage of time and daily use have yellowed, blackened, chipped, etc.
- models that aesthetically they are no longer attractive nor do they go in line with the decoration of our home.
If we want to save some money we can do this renovation ourselves, for this we must know the different electrical mechanisms that exist in the market and which one best suits the needs of our home.
What types of electrical mechanisms exist?
For indoor use the mechanisms can be surface or recessed. The surface ones are usually used when a plug or switch is needed in a certain place and you do not want to carry out works or in DLP gutters. On the other hand, the flush-mounted mechanisms are those that are attached to the mechanism box that is hidden inside the partition.
From the functional aspect, the electrical mechanisms that are usually found in a home are:
- switchto turn the light on or off from a single point.
- Switchto turn the light on or off from two different points (from each end of the corridor, for example).
- Crossingto turn the light on or off from three or more different points.
- double/triple switchto turn on two or three independent lights.
- Plug with ground connection.
- TV/SAT socketto receive the signal from the antenna.
- telephone socket.
How to install a embeddable mechanism?
First of all, it is necessary to take into account a series of essential security measures such as disconnecting the electrical current from the whole house, using insulated screwdrivers, rubber-soled shoes and always carrying out this type of task in company.
Next, the old mechanism is removed and it is checked how the box that is embedded in the wall. The internal boxes can be round (plasterboard walls) or square/rectangular depending on the number of mechanisms. If the electrical installation is no more than 35/40 years old, the box will be standard and will have some screws that help fix the mechanism to the wall.
In the event that it does not have screws, either we can replace the box to update it, although for this it will be necessary to do a little work (remove the old one and fix the new one with plaster), or you can buy a accessory called “claw” and that is also used for wooden panels in which there is no embedding box.
The next step will be to screw the wires to the switch or plug. If the type of electrical mechanism is a plug, you will have to screw the ground connection (normally the yellow cable) to the central part and the rest of the cables to each side indistinctly.
Then all that remains is to screw the mechanism to the recessed box and place the trim.
There are electrical mechanisms such as those of the Legrand Niloé line that reduce the steps and installation time by half, something that is appreciated when the mechanisms of an entire home are being renovated.
What model do I choose?
There are electrical mechanisms made of thermoplastic materials, aluminum, glass, wood or porcelain. Bearing in mind that it is an element that is going to be part of our home for quite some time and that we are going to use it on a daily basis, my advice is to choose a electric mechanism with an elegant and timeless design and of a material with a good quality/price ratio (thermoplastic, for example).
If you are also respectful of the environment, you should know that there are some electrical mechanisms whose design and manufacture reduce the environmental impact. This is the case of the Legrand Niloé series, which also has “eco-solutions” that allow energy consumption levels to be reduced, minimizing the energy impact on buildings and homes.
Where to buy electrical mechanisms at a good price?
Changing a mechanism does not entail a very high cost, but if we are going to renew the entire house, the investment can be quite important. For this reason it is convenient look for a quality product and compare prices in different establishments.
Particularly where I usually find better prices is in online stores, since they usually offer interesting discounts and promotions throughout the year. For example, in this link you can buy a Legrand Niloé switch/switch and trim for a very cheap price.
In short, if you think the time has come to renovate electrical mechanisms of your home, first of all you should check what type of mechanisms you need according to the type of recessed box. Although there are many models on the market, I advise you to let common sense guide you more than fashion and trends, they are elements that will be on your wall for a long time. Finally, look for the best value for money, surely in this way you will achieve significant savings.
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Images via: Legrand
