Owning a pool means worrying about more than just chlorine levels; it comes with some hidden costs. Don’t forget to add in maintenance costs as well, including changing your pool lights. Changing your pool lights is a lot like changing the lights in your bedroom or living room. You don’t really think about it until the lights start flickering. Here’s a closer look at replacing the lights in your pool.
Don’t Get Electrocuted
This is a biggie, obviously. You have to remain safe when you’re changing the lights in your pool. First, head to the breaker box for your pool and cut the power source. How can you be sure the power to your pool is off? The simplest way is to look for other lights that were working before. If they’re off, then you’re good to go.
If you only have one pool light, or if all your pool light bulbs went out at the same time, things get trickier but they’re by no means impossible. Checking to see whether or not your pool pump is operational is another way to see whether the power is off. To be really safe, buy a water voltage detector from your local home supply store. It responds to voltage in the water with loud beeping and a bright flashing light, and it also has uses that go beyond just replacing pool lights.
Unscrew the Light Fixture and Remove the Old Bulb
You shouldn’t have to remove a dozen screw locks to get from the outside of the light fixture to the burned out light bulb. In most cases, there will only be one, but you’ll still need a sturdy screwdriver. At times, you’ll be able to stay on dry land and just lean over to get the job done. But you may also have to wade into the pool to get the right angle. Have someone outside watching you to make sure you don’t fall in and hit your head. It’s easy to scoff at that scenario, but drowning is the fifth leading cause of accidental death, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
If you do have to hop into the pool to access the light fixture, you won’t have to stay there long. The pool light housing’s cord should be long enough to allow you to place it outside the pool while you perform the rest of the job. You’ll have to loosen some more screws to get out the old light. And now’s also an ideal time to grab a towel and use it to dry out the inside of the light fixture.
Put the Right Replacement Bulb Inside
How can you be sure you have the right kind of replacement bulb? If you hired a swimming pool contractor in New Jersey, call them to ask what kind of bulb you need. These bulbs can run anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, so you want to be overly cautious here. If the old and new serial numbers don’t line up exactly, then it’s not going to work.
Once you know what you’re searching for, head to a pool supply store. Your swimming pool contractor might run a retail store of his or her own, so if you call ahead, someone could probably grab a bulb and have it waiting for you when you arrive. They get their supplies from a variety of reliable sources. Some places also buy liquidated merchandise through Walmart auctions or through other wholesale vendors. These are items that have been overstocked, returned, or even refurbished in some cases. If an item has been refurbished, though, it will be clearly indicated on the package before you buy.
Next, you get back to your home and screw in the shiny new light bulb. Test the light briefly by going back to the circuit box and flipping the switch, but then flip it off again before you put the light fixture back together.
