Installing a smart switch or outlet is easier than you think

I was terrified of installing a smart outlet for the first time. Now I've swapped out one outlet and have replaced many of the switches throughout my home, with enough switches waiting for me to gradually do the rest of the house. I'm here to tell you that the process is easier than you think. 

To be clear—you need to take your time. If you rush through the process and forget to flip a breaker off, the stakes are high. It's safer and quicker to hire an electrician, but that doesn't mean you need to. Exercise your own judgment here. 

WARNING: These observations are the result of my own experience, and yours will probably differ. Do not attempt to perform electrical tasks without taking the correct precautions.

Most products come with a how-to video

Just about every smart switch or smart outlet will recommend you hire an electrician for installation. At the same time, the products from major brands tend to come with easy-to-follow instructions paired with a straightforward how-to video on YouTube. Neither set of materials assumes you have any pre-existing knowledge about wires or electricity, revealing that their intended audience isn't electricians, but everyday homeowners. 

Here, for example, is the video provided for the TP-Link Tapo S505 smart light switch. 

I appreciate these videos, because they have provided me with enough of an understanding of electrical wiring to tackle various other projects in my home on my own. 

Wires are just held on by screws or nuts

I assumed a home's electrical wiring consisted of complex cords. After all, if you've seen a frayed USB cable or the cord for a game controller, there's quite a bit going on in there. Most wires leading to a light switch or outlet are just long strips of copper or aluminum coated with insulation. 

These copper wires are just held in place by screws that attach to the side of the outlet or light switch. 

Or, as is the case with outdoor lights and a Tapo S505 light switch alike, you simply match like wires with like and attached them together by screwing on wire nuts. These typically come included in the box along with the printed installation instructions. 

Absolutely get a voltage tester

A voltage tester is a small tool you hold up against a wire to see if there's any electricity flowing through it. Mine silently flashes a red light at a steady beat, a light stays on, and it's accompanied by a long beep when held against a live wire. When held against non-live wires, nothing happens. It just continues to silently flash. 

Installation materials recommend you have a voltage tester, and I concur. Even once you know what you're doing, it's easy to start moving quickly and forget whether you last flipped a breaker on or off. I recently replaced four exterior lights one after the other, and at one point I almost grabbed a live wire before remembering at the last moment that it hasn't flipped the breaker back off yet. Make it a habit to test every wire with a voltage tester beforehand, so that even once muscle memory takes over, you've built a safety check into your conditioning. 

Once you learn one, you can figure out the rest

As I just mentioned, I've now swapped out all the exterior lights mounted outside the doors into our home, since the wiring for those, it turns out, was the same as a basic light switch. I've also replaced my old thermostat with the Matter-compatible Honeywell Smart X2S. After taking the time to install my own smart switches, I felt confident enough to tackle other projects. With just a pair of pliers, a couple screwdrivers, and a voltage tester, you may just feel the same.