Home Lighting

Although it’s important to incorporate a variety of lighting types into your home, recessed lighting is one of the most versatile options on the market. Recessed lighting can unobtrusively provide ambient light. Using these points, you can develop a deliberate plan in order to successfully install recessed fixtures.

New Vs. Old

In existing homes before you can begin to consider the  suitability of your recessed lights, first determine whether or not you need  to update or retrofit housings based on new more energy efficient options.  In brand new homes, recessed lights will be selected and installed  appropriate to new construction .

Identify the Housings

• There are a wide variety of housing types for recessed lighting. For instance, homeowners must consider whether or not their ceiling is insulated. If so, that house requires “IC” rated housings in order to accommodate the ceiling insulation.
• Fire safety is an important aspect of housings for recessed fixtures. Fire-rated light covers are designed to fill the space around them with fire-resistant  material. Fire-rated enclosures are another simple option for reducing the risk of fire. Finally, a firebox can be installed in fire-rated ceilings in order to maintain the fire rating.
• Energy efficient housings have been popular recently, as they are more effective at preventing heated or cooled air from escaping the house.

Select the Trim

The trim is the other main component of recessed lighting besides the housing. Since the trim is the visible part of recessed lighting, there are a wide variety of options to fit any aesthetic style. Different types of trim include:

• Reflectors – For general lighting, reflectors are able to maximize the output of recessed lights.
• Baffles -Baffles will minimize apparent brightness of the light .
• Open -For those interested in energy efficiency, open trims provide a more economical choice.
• Wall washers – To emphasize vertical surfaces, choose wall washers that can be aimed towards wall hangings and pictures.

Choose the Lamp or Bulb

Although there are a variety of lamp and bulb options for recessed fixtures, the housings and trim that you choose will often determine which type of lamp or bulb should be used. Your options may include:

• Incandescent bulbs, which provide a warm glow.
• Fluorescent lamps, which are much more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.
• Low voltage lamps, which offer good color rendition
• Light emitting diodes.

Once you’ve considered these different choices, you’ll be ready to  choose your recessed fixtures!