The renovation has been a big game over the past decade as people are turning more towards creating a personal statement in all occupied spaces be it workplace or homes. Home renovation is largely architecture and furniture but up close the most essential element is the lighting. Lighting adds a finishing touch all the while enhancing the appearance of various elements present within any space to make it appear more aesthetic and habitable. LED pot lights are one of the most important innovations in the past decade.
They have a major role in redefining lighting standards for any indoor space. Although tiny, they serve general as well as decorative lighting needs with minimum effort.
What Are Pot Lights?
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Pot lights or can lights got their name from their features. A tiny pot carrying electrical components sits inside the ceiling, which is why they are also commonly known as recessed lights. A recessed light fixture has three main components.
1. Housing
The housing of the fixture has a very vital role as it is the entirety of the fixture. It holds the electrical components in place and keeps it functional. The housing must be compatible with the existing ceiling conditions.
There are several different types of housings available for different ceiling types. The basic classification is done on the basis of the area present above the ceiling as clearance so they are either IC rated or NON-IC rated.
Different housing types are:
- Sloped ceiling housings
- New construction housing
- Remodel housing
There are also retrofit housing kits available in case the joists are hard to locate above the ceiling.
2. Bulb
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The bulb used in pot lights must be compatible against heat as the fixture sits inside the ceiling. It must be bright and prevent waste of energy. There are several different types of bulbs available for pot lights like incandescent or halogen lamps. Although they are bright but very inefficient as compared to LEDs.
LED bulbs allow the flow and integrity of lighting. It lives up to the requirements by providing higher lumens, energy efficiency, and cost savings. There are different shapes and sizes of LED bulbs available for different housings and lighting conditions.
3. Trim
The trim of the fixture plays a severely important role as it directs the light out of the fixture. LED pot lights are innately downlights as the light shines downwards from the open ceiling surface whereas the trim designs control and direct light to create aesthetic effects. There are many different trim designs for different layers of lighting which are: general, accent, and task lighting.
Different trim designs are:
- Open trim
- Baffle trim
- Reflector trim
- Wall wash trim
- Pinhole trim
- Eyeball trim
- Gimbal trim
Installing Recessed Lights Around the House
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These tiny fixtures possess immense potential for transformation. The reason why they are highly favorable in contemporary settings is because of their discrete design profile. Therefore, a careful amount of consideration goes into their installation process.
The installation requires holes to be cut out in the ceiling and getting it wrong might ruin the entire look of the ceiling as well as the room. To get a better overview of the basic considerations checks this link.
Here are a few things to consider before purchasing the fixtures:
1. Dimension of the Room
The dimensions are the first priority as recessed light fixtures are appropriate for ceiling heights ranging from 8 feet to 20 feet. They are for low ceiling areas as the size of the fixture is from 2-6 inches.
2. Cut Down Voltage
LED pot lights allow accent lighting and task lighting. It is achievable as they can operate on cut-down voltage i.e different from the rest of the house. In this way, it is easy to regulate the voltage for different areas for effective lighting.
3. Spacing of the Fixtures
The spacing between each fixture is highly important. For several reasons the spacing alone, if not done right can ruin the look of the room entirely. It is important to create a clean, uniform look as if the spacing is not equal it creates a messy look and dark or bright spots.
Each fixture must be equidistant to the other. The spacing is calculated as per the size of the fixture. For example, the space between two 2-inch fixtures requires at least a distance of 2 feet.
4. Trim Designs
The trim designs are essential for different layers so they are respective of where exactly the light is placed. General trim designs are perfect in open spaces while rotatable trim designs are suitable for installation over task areas or around the walls for extra light on walls, collectibles, art, etc.
There are many ways pot lights improve the entire look of the house. LED pot lights specifically allow a lot more room for experimentation and sustainability. These lights last longer, produce more lumens, and save up a lot of electricity.
They are also IP rated for damp locations so quite effective for installation in washrooms, kitchens, and outdoors. They create a visually appealing atmosphere especially in homes due to their open-end customization.