Can I fix a hanging light fixture without an electrician?
Reattaching a loose fixture is difficult because the inner screw threads do not just pop back in, leaving people struggling to wind it from the outside with zero knowledge of electrical maintenance. This leaves them unsure whether they have to contact an electrician or if they can fix it themselves so they can use the room as an office.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1letting an adult handle itDid this help you?
- 2Waiting for the landlord to contact someoneDid this help you?
- 3Leaving the room unused and unlitDid this help you?
- 4Checking the bulb and breakerDid this help you?
- 5Pulling the switch out to check wire attachmentsDid this help you?
- 6Using wire nuts and a proper box with a blank cover plate for exposed wiresDid this help you?
- 7Calling an electricianDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“As you can see on the pictures when we flip the switch only a faint light comes out of certain leds.”source ↗
“i’d like to use this room as an office, so I was wandering if I would be able to fix this myself knowing I have zero knowledge about electric appliances maintenance, or do I have to contact an electrician.”source ↗
“There appears to be a screw thread of some kind on the inside. It doesn't just pop back in and I'm struggling to wind it in from the outside.”source ↗
“Now the porch light doesn’t work/ won’t turn on at the switch, and neither of us know how and where to connect it to get it working again.”source ↗
“I hope this isn’t too vague! I am going to be the un-handiest of homeowners… any advice would be truly appreciated!!”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 7Can you put pendant lights over an island with recessed cans?
- 2How to change a light fixture over stairs without a ladder
- 4How to take apart a vanity light fixture without breaking the glass
- 2Why does my new ceiling fan keep wobbling after reinstalling it?
- 6How to swap the order of wall light switches