Pot lights are a great way to add recessed lighting in the ceiling of your room. The housing of a pot light, paired with the trim, is sturdy enough to support fluorescent, halogen, LED light, and incandescent bulbs. This gives homeowners the flexibility to create unique lighting solutions that fit their homes’ aesthetics. Because pot lights are recessed, they are a perfect unobtrusive light source for ceilings that are lower than normal. If you are considering installing pot lights into a room in your office or home, Sitetech Electrical suggests that you ask these important questions to help save time and money on your project.
Do I Have Access to the Ceiling?
Pot lighting is installed into the ceiling. If there is something blocking the way, it may affect installation. Homes or offices that have attics have the smoothest pot light installations. This is because there is space directly above the ceiling in which to complete the work using nailed-in construction housings. Otherwise, you will have to access the ceiling by cutting a hole from below. Make sure to check the height and measure your depth properly. Stud finders will help you keep the right amount of space between internal joists.
If you are not experienced with electrical work, it’s always a good idea to hire a company that provides residential electrical services to help, rather than installing them on your own. This will ensure that the project runs smoothly and that the pot lights are installed correctly and safely.
How Should Lights Be Spaced?
Once you have the right number of bulbs, you need to determine the proper spacing. Each light should be at least two feet away from each other and the walls. This is a general formula that is intended for full-room illumination. If you plan to use task lighting, then the distance can be smaller.
How Many Lights Do I Need?
Not buying enough pot lights can put you behind schedule, but buying too many is just a wasted expense. Knowing how many you need to light your space in the way you desire is the first step of your project. Two steps will help you determine how many pot lights a room needs.
Step 1: Figure out the amount of wattage is needed in a room for proper illumination. To do this, multiply the area of the room by 1.5.
Step 2: The wattage value you get is the number of bulbs you will need to buy. In order to discover this number, the wattage of the bulb should be divided by the total watts.
How Many Dimmers Are Needed?
Dimmers are a great way to be able to set your desired brightness to the room. Installing dimmers also extends the life of the bulb while saving precious energy. It is never a good idea to have all of your lights on one dimmer, instead, break up your pot lights into zones with their own dimmers.
Will the Light Touch the Insulation?
If your pot lights will be touching your insulation, you will need a special housing fixture to prevent hazards. Some also specific pot lights carry an insulation contact (IC) housing label that is made for insulation contact. It isn’t always possible to tell in advance if a light will have contact with the insulation if there is not ample ceiling access.
How We Can Help
Pot light installations are complex and should be handled by the professionals, like Sitetech Electrical. Our licensed electricians in Richmond Hill are eager to meet all your electrical needs and requests. We are able to work with you to create a custom lighting solution for any room in your home. To get a no-obligation price quote for our services, give us a call at (647) 939-3239 today.
