Prior to determining to insert a can light, or ascertaining which one to add, there are a few facets to reflect on: What is your intention for illumination? Do you prefer having an area brightly lit or an area with only a small amount of light? What size fixture do you want? Which type of light bulb would you prefer? Do you require the use of a revamp fitting, or is it possible to put in a new-building casing? Do you need to get any wiring for the new light? Do you require a light fixture that has insulation compatibility or an airtight qualities, or one that has both?

What Is Recessed Lighting?

An effective and generally preferred method of providing light in a home is by using recessed lighting. It is frequently employed in kitchens and bathrooms, but can also be implemented in other parts of a home. Recessed lights are usually put into the roof and give illumination with a lamp included in a totally or partly covered covering.

Recessed lights can be either incandescent or fluorescent. Recessed lights that utilize fluorescence tend to use less electricity as compared to incandescent lights, as more luminescence can be created for each watt of power consumed. Despite their low expense and usability, many people opt for incandescent lights.

There is a great variety of kinds and sizes of recessed lighting fixtures. Slight variations in brightness and angle are possible with some lights, allowing you to point the illumination towards your desired area, while other lights have no flexibility in their directionality. When deciding on a lighting fixture, it is important to consider the amount of light desired and the desired location of the light.

The Benefits of Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting offers several benefits:

It makes a room feel bigger.

Installing recessed lighting can give the appearance of a larger room in your house. The illumination is tucked away behind the ceiling, thus nothing is blocking the upper surface. You can employ fewer watts while still producing a look that gives the illusion of your room being bigger than it really is.

Highlights key areas in your house.

If you want to focus attention on a certain spot or point in your residence, recessed lighting can be a great way to do this. For example, suppose you want to highlight artwork or a fireplace mantel. Reverted lighting can help play down these particulars from other bits of an area by having them mix into the darkness or having them emerge from the surrounding light from windows or mirrors close-by.

Creates uniform illumination in rooms.

Recessed lights provide a mellow, smooth lighting that brightens the whole space in a uniform fashion. Chandeliers are particularly suitable for installation above dining tables and other areas that require even lighting. These lights are ideal for hallways and other areas which need even illumination, with no hotspots or shadows present.

It can be used as an alternative to overhead lights.

If you possess an outdated house that possesses little ceiling heights or low exposure via the windows, recessed lighting might be exactly what is required to make the space appear more vibrant. Can lights of any size be put in any room or space, for example, kitchens, bathrooms, and stairways? These lights can be installed outside in covered decks and patios to bring illumination to shadowy parts of the house.

Provides task lighting for reading and other activities.

Recessed lighting is ideal for particular work spaces because it provides direct illumination on targeted spots in the home. Recessed lights can be installed anywhere in a room, including under cabinets, above counters, or around windows. You have the possibility to pick the size of your unit according to the dimensions of the area it will occupy.

Easy to install and maintain.

Recessed lights are placed within the ceiling using a particular mount which fastens them securely so that they won’t drop out of place if the lamp stops working or in case of a power cut. No visible cables are seen on the outside of your house or office structure since the wiring is tucked away in the wall cavity. It is simpler to set up flush-mounted lights than it is to install hanging lights or any kind of track lighting, as those types of fixtures necessitate added electrical wiring to be put into place near doors and windows.

Low-voltage versions are energy-efficient.

The same amount of electricity is used for recessed lights as with other kinds of bulbs, but they are more efficient in their power consumption. This is due to the fact that they don’t need to warm up as much air like other sorts of bulbs do. This means that your energy consumption will be reduced, leading to cost savings on your electricity bill.

Buying Considerations for Recessed Lighting

What Do You Want to Light?

Recessed light fixtures are very versatile. Lamps can be employed to give overall illumination, to concentrate light in a particular area, or to highlight certain items.

If you require additional illumination for reading or on your kitchen counter, a downlight is likely the best option. The same concept applies when it comes to illuminating a hallway, passageway, or for the overall illumination in a spacious area such as your living room. To illuminate the sculpture on your mantelpiece, you’ll likely need an adjustable spot light. Alternatively, if you seek to draw attention to an oversized painting or poster, or lightly illuminate your stereo materials, a wall washer trim may be the solution.

What Size Fixture Do You Want?

The typical dimensions of recessed ceiling lights for homes are between 3 and 7 inches in diameter. One approach to responding to this inquiry is by gauging the distance from the roof to where the light is intended to be placed and the size of the region that needs illumination. For a room with an 8ft high ceiling, a 4in sized light fitting will be perfect to light up kitchen countertops. An 6-inch downlight at that level should be enough to brightly light your morning meal. For a room with a 10-foot ceiling, you should consider 4-inch lighting fixtures, as they can spread out the illumination more. A fixture with a 7-inch diameter might make an ideal wall washer in a space that has an 8-foot ceiling height.

The most popular size is a 6-inch fixture. Because of this, there is a larger assortment of trim kinds obtainable for 6-inch fixtures than any other size, allowing you to have more liberty in choosing the trim you desire.

What Kind of Light Bulb Do You Want to Use?

A light fitting which has been built into the wall or ceiling can accommodate an incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, or LED lamp, held in place with a medium screw base. There are also luminaires with specially designated holders for lights, usually suitable for fluorescent or halogen bulbs.

If you appreciate the cost savings, extended life, and chilliness of fluorescent lamps, as well as the mild hue of incandescent light, you may want to purchase fluorescent lamps with a low Kelvin rating. Halogen is usually the best option when you need a very bright light in a confined space. For warm, general lighting, most people prefer incandescent lamps. LED light bulbs can combine several of these characteristics.

If you want to adjust the brightness of your recessed lights or be able to change them with a remote or automated process, pick fixtures that can be used with incandescent, halogen, or LED light bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs can only be dimmed if they contain a dimmer switch.

Types of Recessed Lighting

Trim Type

The outer part of the recessed lighting fixture which is visible is referred to as the trim. Various styles of trim are available, such as adjustable, baffle, pinhole, slotted, ornamented, shower, and open models. This adjustable trim is ideal for giving a spotlight to decorative items or lighting up shelves in cupboards. A good option for a large area such as a kitchen or living room would be an open light trim, while the best selection for a bathroom shower space would be a water-resistant shower light.

Light Bulb Type and Temperature

By examining these lamps, it is apparent that certain bulbs have either a screw-in or pin base. There are varied kinds of lightbulbs such as incandescent, halogen, LED, or traditional ones. LED light bulbs don’t generate much heat and provide an economical way of conserving energy. You should choose the kind of illumination that fits your taste for your residence—whether you want it to be luminous, dim, or natural light. It is worth considering dimmer switches if you’d like to decrease the amount of light; just remember to buy dimmer-compatible bulbs.

Remodel Fixtures vs. New-Construction Housings

Recessed lights are produced using two different methods of holding them in place. The structure of a renovated fitting is normally supported by placing metal clips through the housing onto the surface of the ceiling, which is either drywall or plaster. Attaching the frame of a newly-built fixture to the ceiling joists can be done by securing it with screws or nails. If you are unable to access the space in the ceiling to install the wiring, you likely will have to settle for a remodel installation fixture. If you can access the area above the ceiling where you want to put a light fixture, you can install new recessed lights into your existing ceiling. The advantages of this are that newly constructed fittings typically cost less and provide more styles of trims than those used for remodeling.

Wiring Type

You need to make a hole in the middle of every joist if you are trying to move wires from one joist space to another. Recall that the connections which power recessed lights are fixed in an electrical box linked to the fixture. If you are installing Type NM (Romex) wiring, make sure to get fixtures that come with connectors in their junction boxes that are able to hold Type NM wiring. If you are operating with Type MC cable, acquire fixtures with the relevant clamp included. It will save you an incredible amount of time.

Cost

The price of recessed lights can fluctuate based on the size, features, quality, and kind. The cost of individual pieces of hardware in major DIY stores usually ranges from about $8 all the way up to $50. You can buy packages of four, six, or eight recessed light fixtures at a reduced cost. LED lighting fixtures can be pricey but in the long run, they are worth it as they help reduce expenses related to energy.

Some homeowners are content to do the work of installing the lights by themselves, but it is safest to have an electrician complete the job if you do not feel confident doing so. Engaging the services of a specialist to set up the recessed lighting for you will cause the cost to skyrocket. The cost may also be different based on if they come across difficulties with the cabling, putting in dimmer switches, and so on.

The Best Uses for Recessed Lighting in Your Home

Recessed lighting is perfect for providing illumination in hard-to-reach parts of the house. The positive aspect is that it has multiple applications. Here are the top three uses for recessed lighting:

Ambient Lighting

In-ceiling lighting can be used as the main illumination in a room. This type of lighting is ideal for creating a soft, ambient atmosphere, as it can spread the light across the entire room. This is perfect for spacious spaces that require more than just one or two lights to create a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. Recessed lights are ideal for rooms with high ceilings since they have the capability of providing illumination over the whole area.

Spot Lighting

Recessed lights are excellent for spotlighting as well. They deliver concentrated light to places inside a room so that you can emphasize particular items or regions that require more interest. Shining a light on their contents, recessed cans with spotlights can be placed above cabinets and countertops. Those particular items can be put in place along fireplace mantels or support beams to make an eye-catching look, emphasizing on building elements like trims and beams, while at the same time serving a useful purpose and giving light.

Accent Lighting

Recessed ceiling lights make a nice accent when used as lighting, because they give off a sufficient brightness without overpowering a space with intense white light that some other types of ceiling lighting may create. Accent lighting enables you to call attention to particular items like artwork or furniture while still furnishing sufficient illumination so that people can move around the room without requiring to activate all the main lights in order to get to something.

The Cost of Installing Recessed Lights

The cost of fitting recessed illumination ranges from approximately eighty-five to three hundred dollars per light; however, several elements can alter this amount. The most common factors are:

  • Location – The cost of installing recessed lights will vary significantly depending on where you live and how far away from your home you need to hire an electrician to install them.
  • Size – The size of your room will also impact how much it costs to install recessed lighting. A large room with tall ceilings will require more time and effort than a small room with low ceilings because it is difficult for an electrician to reach high up into the ceiling and install recessed lights. Similarly, if you have cathedral or vaulted ceilings, this will increase the cost because more materials are needed for installation.

Home and business owners have been making use of recessed lighting for many years. It offers an exceptional aesthetic feature that many homes strive to have. Some individuals employ it to lighten a shadowy area or area which is not brightly illuminated. Some enjoy the way it reflects off their space’s walls, roof, and trim. Individuals like the visual effect of having it on their ceiling. No matter what, it is certain that recessed lights can be employed to bring focus to or shed light on different structures or components in your house effortlessly.

Jonathan
Author: Jonathan