How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House host Kevin O'Connor helps a homeowner fix a faulty three-way switch. (See steps below.)
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Steps for How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch:
1. Turn off the electricity to the three-way light circuit at the main electrical panel.
2. Remove the cover plates from both three-way switches, then unscrew the switches from the electrical boxes.
3. Use a battery-powered continuity tester to determine which two wires in each box are the traveler wires.
4. Reinstall both three-way switches, making sure to connect the identified traveler wires to the appropriate traveler terminals on each switch.
5. Next, attach the common wire and ground wire to each switch.
6. Screw each switch back into the electrical boxes and reinstall the cover plates.
7. Turn the electricity back on and test the switches to ensure that each one can turn on and turn off the light.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Repair a Three-Way Light Switch | Ask This Old House
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