What is Recessed Lighting?
In today’s world of home decor, recessed lights have been very popular for quite some time. If you’re looking to get some installed in your home, below you will find some information that will help you make an informed decision.
Recessed lights are fixtures that are built into a home’s ceiling instead of hanging from one. Recessed lighting is an extremely versatile, modest yet modern look in any space. The bulb is usually inserted into a tubular shaped can that allows the light to focus straight down.
Recessed lights are best used in low-ceiling spaces or when you’re trying to focus light in a specific direction. Due to their flush, out-of-the-way nature, they’re also very easy to wipe clean.
There are four components to a recessed light. The housing, the trim, the reflector, and the socket.
Housing - The housing “houses” the bulb. It’s the part that is inserted in the ceiling.
Trim - A piece that serves as a brim to seal the gap between the bulb’s housing and the rest of the drywall. It’s the part responsible for the identifying clean, seamless look that you find in recessed lighting.
Reflector - It’s a shiny piece of metal that acts in reflecting the light down into the room.
Socket - Lastly, the socket is where the lightbulb is screwed into. Typically the socket is one with the housing, but there are instances where the sockets are removable.
Things to Consider
What kind of lighting are you looking for? Are you trying to add task lighting? Are you trying to accentuate certain features of your home? Think about what room you want to add light to. Due to their versatility, recessed lights can serve as ambient light, task lighting, even accent lighting. If you’re looking to create a good reading spot at home, try a downlight. If you’re interested in highlighting a sculpture or painting, try an eyeball spotlight or washer trim.
Think about wattage. Recessed lighting fixtures can operate just fine at 75 and 100 watts. If you want a brighter set up you can go up to 150 watts.
Next, you want to consider which bulbs you want to use. Recessed lights can often use any kind of contemporary light bulb such as incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, and LED.
If you want to save some money, want longevity, and a range of color temperatures, try fluorescent bulbs lower on the Kelvin value scale. If you’re looking for more intense light to light up a smaller area, halogens might interest you. For general lighting incandescent bulbs and LEDs work great. Furthermore, fixtures that use incandescent, halogen, and LED bulbs are dimmable.
The Cost of Recessed Lighting
The cost of recessed lights can vary. New construction recessed lights for unfinished ceilings can be $8 each, while remodel boxes can do for $20 each.
What Size of Recessed Lighting Fixture Do You Need?
The most common sizes for residential recessed lighting fixtures are 4”-7” in diameter. A deciding factor would be how far the ceiling is from where you’re trying to illuminate, how big the area is, the angle of the beam, and aperture size. The right placement can make all the difference between a moody cocktail bar feel, or task lighting for kitchen countertops. Call your favorite local professional electrical installation expert for an assessment of your needs!
Call your Favorite Local Electricians for Help!
If you’re struggling to find a recessed light set up that’s right for you, call Tru-Line Electric! We’re here to help you make the right decision at an affordable cost. With our team, you can be sure the work will be done quickly, cleanly, and efficiently. Remember, You’re Fine With Tru-Line!
