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Before attempting to replace a regular toggle light switch with a dimmer switch there are a few steps you must take.

First thing to do is to make sure the light switch controls a light and not a receptacle. Using dimmer switches on receptacles can cause serious overloading based on what is plugged in. Also, dimmers reduce voltage and reduced voltage to a television or computer etc.etc. can cause damage to your appliance.

Second you need to look at the box the switch will be mounted in and make sure there is enough room for a dimmer switch. Dimmer switches are larger than standard switches and take up more room in a box. Just jamming the switch into the box could cause short circuits or ground faults.

Third make sure the light you are wanting to install the dimmer on is incandescent or fluorescent. There is a difference in the dimmer you buy for each light.

Fourth, you must make sure you are replacing a single switch OR a three way switch. This is easily determined by the number of switches that turn the light on or off. Two places to turn the light on or off and you have a three way switch. One place to turn it on or off and you have a single pole switch.

Once you have determined what you have it is time to replace the switch. After you have purchased the right switch and determined your box is large enough you need to turn the power off to the circuit. Do this by turning off the breaker or removing the fuse for the circuit.

Not sure which breaker? You can turn on the light and start switching your 15 or 20 amp breakers off and on until the light goes out. You could also just turn off the main but this will turn the power off to everything in your home or office.

After you are sure the circuit has no power then proceed to remove the old switch. Take a flat screwdriver and remove the two screws holding the cover on. After the cover is removed there re two more screws that hold the switch in the box. Remove these screws. After you have removed the screws gently pull the switch out of the box. Loosen the wires from the switch. There should be three wires. One each black, white, and green or bare copper.

Take your dimmer switch and connect the green or bare copper to the green wire on the dimmer switch. You will do this by twisting the ends together in a clockwise motion. Then take one of the plastic wire-nuts that came with the switch and screw it onto the ends of the green wire in a clockwise motion.

Next take the white wire (could possibly have a black mark or tape on

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