Hanging A Swag Hook to Relocate a Ceiling Light
If you think that the term swag is reserved for popstars and pirates, think again! The ceiling hooks that you may or may not have noticed to inexpensively relocate an off-center light fixture are referred to as swag hooks; today, your trusted local Marin County electricians will teach you how to safely hang a swag hook.
Identifying Swag Hook Opportunities & Easily Installing Them
First things first: Swag hooks can’t solve all of your problems. For instance, if your kitchen island wasn’t installed with the floor joists above in mind, then odds are they are a little (or a lot) off-center, making your dream of swag hooks a poor supplement for your currently off-centered light fixture. In these instances, you’ll be forced to relocate the can that supports your light fixture entirely, which will require the help of a licensed electrician.
Determining Swag Hook Spots
As indicated above, any swag hooks you hope to install have to be anchored to something other than drywall. This is crucial and can prevent property damage and injury by keeping your light fixture safely rooted in place. That said, the first thing you’ll want to do is to pick the general whereabouts that you’d like your light to originate from and figure out how flexible you are with that location. From there, you’ll have to find a way to detect the joists above and determine which direction they are running; this can be done in two simple ways:
- Use a stud finder to detect the floor joists above. The typical stud finder is an inexpensive electronic device that can purchased at any hardware store. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended usage instructions as you place the stud finder against the ceiling near your desired swag hook spot in an attempt to locate the joists above. Once you get a readout of a joist, locate the diameter of it (you’ll want to use the middle, not the edge). Your joists will be somewhere between 1.5 and 3 inches wide, and span the entire distance of the room in parallel rows. Mark the spot where the joist is and you’re ready to move on.
- You can also peek up through the can itself to locate the joists above by shutting off the power at your home’s electric panel (and testing with a voltage meter to ensure the light is powerless), then uninstalling your light and the can’s ceiling connection, then peering up through the can with a flashlight to find surrounding joists. In this instance, we still recommend the use of a stud finder for absolute certainty before drilling, but it is possible to secure your light without it.
Install & Double-Check
Once you have located the joist, simply follow the drilling and securing instructions found on whichever swag hook you pick out at the department store. Whether it says to or not, be absolutely certain that you pull down on the hook with force slightly greater than the light that will be supported by the hook; you don’t have to attempt to yank it off, but you want to ensure that the weight will be supported before you transfer the light fixture. Then, all you’ll need to do is hang your light fixture from the swag hook from a secured chain, allowing the cordage to reach the can and power source without tension or strain.
Contact Your Local Electricians
If you need anything beyond a simple swag hook (or even help with one), be sure to contact the local electricians at Divine Electric, Marin County’s Top Rated Local® electricians. Whether your repairs or modifications are big or small, our local electricians will ensure that it gets done right.
How Can We Help?
Our team is available to help with your electrical needs:
Divine Electric made our day. Our electrical issue at home was quickly and accurately diagnosed, and immediate repairs made things right again. Nathan was on time, friendly, and knowledgeable. He made everything easy to understand, and followed up to be sure all was well at the end of the day! We couldn’t be happier.
- D. Whaley
Founded by Darin Divine in 2003 who has been in the Bay Area residential electrical industry since 1996, we serve Marin County, select San Francisco areas, and surrounding communities.
We provide a full range of services from simple ‘Service and Repair’ dispatches to ‘Contractor Projects’ for residential and light commercial contractors and architects.
Divine Electric Norcal Racing is an established team of well-known riders and respected community leaders. It’s a cohesive mix of racers, weekly training friends, and business peoples.