Terminal screws on the sides of a switch hold the wires in place.
Removing an electrical switch is a fairly straightforward maintenance task, but you do need to exercise extreme caution when doing it as you're dealing with electricity. This is especially true when removing a double-pole switch. This is a switch that is designed for use with large electrical appliances, such as water heaters or some larger fans. The process for removing a double-pole switch is essentially the same as removing a standard single-pole switch, but you have two extra wires to remove.
Instructions
1. Turn off the circuit for the fan at your home's main electrical box.
2. Take the cover plate off the wall.
3. Check the circuit to make sure it's off by touching the probes of a voltage tester to the terminal screws on the sides of the switch. If you get a reading, the circuit is still live, and you need to shut it off at the main box. If you get shocked from a 240-volt line, it will kill you.
4. Unscrew the mounting screws that hold the switch in place, and pull it out of the electrical box inside the wall.
5. Loosen the terminal screws around the sides of the switch, and unhook the wires from the switch.
6. Untwist the plastic connector cap that attaches the ground wire. Keep the wires apart from each other so they don't come into contact. Taping them to the wall temporarily is one option.
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