Recessed lighting is a popular choice among homeowners who want an affordable, refined, and finished look. With recessed lights, you can brighten up your home without breaking the bank. If you’re looking to revamp the atmosphere in your house, we have created an outline to help you determine how many recessed lights you need for your kitchen, bedroom, or living room.
How Many Recessed Lights Can I Use?
Now, you might be wondering if less is more, or if more is more. Well, the amount of recessed lights you use depends on factors like wattage, canister width, and the overall dimensions of your ceiling space. Let’s dig a little deeper into recessed lighting and how these popular fixtures can impact your home.
Recessed Fixture Spacing
The point of recessed lighting is to create an overlapping cone of light to illuminate your space. To create this effect without overcrowding your lights, you must keep a few things in mind such as bulb intensity, fixture diameter, and the height of your ceiling. The ideal space between recessed light fixtures should be about four feet.
Directional and Omnidirectional Fixtures
There is a right way and a wrong way to install and use recessed fixtures. Installing recessed lights in a straight line creates a harsh, uniform look similar to that of a hospital or airport runway. Similarly, fixtures placed close together form an uninviting and unbalanced look that strains your eyes, unless your fixtures are directional. Directional recessed fixtures should be placed closer together than omnidirectional ones.
Circuit Breaker Limitations
The main factor to consider when installing recessed fixtures is your circuit breaker. In a majority of houses, the number of recessed lights you need will not have a negative impact on your circuit breaker. However, it’s important to follow your breaker rating when choosing the number of lights you would like to install. For example, if you have a 15-AMP circuit breaker, you can safely install and use over 180 fixtures that use CFL or LED bulbs.
Installing Recessed Fixtures
We never recommend installing your own lights for two reasons, it’s complicated and dangerous. If installed incorrectly, or if your ceiling is insulated, you risk sparking an electrical fire. A professional electrician will be able to determine whether you can use simple ceiling joists or need custom fixtures designed to fit your drywall. If your ceiling is insulated, an electrician will ensure your new fixtures are insulation-safe.
Advantages of Recessed Lighting
The allure of recessed lighting stems from the ability to light your home while saving space. Recessed lights can easily be placed anywhere. From living rooms to closets, recessed lighting is an effective and discreet way to light up every inch of your home without tanking your bank account.
Disadvantages of Recessed Lighting
While the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, there are some disadvantages to recessed lighting. The main disadvantage is cutting holes into your ceiling. Since you need more than one light to create dynamic lighting, you will have to cut more than one hole while running multiple wires through your ceiling.
Recessed Lighting and Electrical Installation Services
If you need help deciding how many recessed light fixtures you need in your bedroom or kitchen, give our team of electricians a call by phone at (571) 281-0281 or book an appointment online. Our professional electricians offer exceptional recessed lighting installation services for homeowners in Lorton, VA and other areas. In addition, our technicians offer a variety of other electrical services such as ceiling fan replacement, security lighting installation, and electrical panel replacement. Whether adding extra light to your living room or undergoing a complete remodel, our experts are delighted to light up your life.