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Interior lighting is an essential part of room design. Trying to find the right type of light to illuminate your home can be difficult, especially when you want to create a welcoming environment. Recessed lighting is an excellent choice for providing light to your home.
Recessed lighting is a common choice for homeowners to provide adequate lighting to their homes, but not many people understand that there are two different types. While remodeled style recessed lighting is designed to be installed into an existing home, new construction recessed lighting is designed to screw directly into ceiling joists.
Homeowners who want lighting with great stability may want to opt for new construction lighting, despite the extra work involved with this method.
What are the parts of recessed lighting?
Whether or not you choose remodeling or new construction recessed lighting, the general parts of the unit are the same. There are three main parts to recessed lighting: the housing, the trim, and the bulb or other light source. Recessed lighting refers to the decorative molding that covers the opening of the lighting area.
The casing of your recessed lighting refers to the protective structure that hides in the ceiling and holds the entire fixture in place. The light bulb or other light source is the part of the light fixture that actually provides the light. You can choose to use electric bulbs or an LED alternative.
Things to Consider When Choosing Recessed Lighting for Your Home
Before choosing recessed lighting for your home, there are some important factors to consider. Whether your home is new construction or not, the type of recessed lighting that works best for your home and where you want to light your home are all important criteria to be aware of.
Is your home a new build or a remodel?
There are two types of recessed lighting that homeowners can choose from. Which one you choose is based on whether your home is either a new build or an existing home that you want to remodel. In other words, remodeling recessed lighting is for homes with a ceiling already installed, while new construction recessed lighting is for new construction that does not yet have a ceiling installed.
With remodeled recessed lighting, installation is done by cutting a hole in the ceiling and attaching the housing to the hole. Once in place, there are special clips that attach the light to the top of the drywall or paneling.
For new construction recessed lighting, the fixtures are nailed to the ceiling joists before the drywall is installed. This method definitely offers more support, but it can take more work if you’re trying to complete it on an already existing house.
Cost differences between recessed lighting for renovation and new construction
When it comes to installing recessed lighting, it is generally more cost effective to do so in a ceiling with existing lights. Because of this, new construction recessed lighting may end up costing more, but the increased stability can make it worth it.
If you are working with a ceiling that already has existing lighting, you can expect to pay between $200 and $300 per fix. For the entire project, you’ll likely be looking at between $800 and $2,160 for the final product.
For new construction recessed lighting, you’ll likely pay up to $500 per fixture and between $800 and $2,880 for the finished product. In the end, the cost difference isn’t huge, so it might be worth going for the safer option.
Isolation compatible vs. Air tight bodies
When you’re shopping around for recessed lighting for your home, you’ll likely find that there are two different options available. If you don’t know the difference between Insulating Compliant (IC) lighting and AirTight recessed lighting, it can be difficult to know which one to buy.
IC recessed lighting is required anywhere the light fixture can touch the insulation in your home. This is not something you can get away with by cutting the insulation, as it is one of the main things inspectors look at when evaluating a home. AirTight recessed lighting, on the other hand, can be either IC or non-IC. The overall design of these fixtures is meant to prevent air conditioning and heat from leaking into the ceiling and escaping the main living areas.
IC Ratings: How to tell if your recessed lighting is IC
To determine whether or not your recessed lighting is IC rated, you will need to be able to access the lighting with a ladder. Once you have access to the area, proceed these steps to check your lighting:
- Remove the surface cutting ring. To do this, you will need to either pull down on the trim or twist it counterclockwise.
- Look for the lab assessment sticker. It is located in the inner chamber of the light fixture bulb. Along with the device rating, it will also tell you the maximum power allowed for use with the device.
- Replace the surface cutting ring. Depending on the removal method you used before, use the opposite instructions to put the cutting ring back on.
The area you want to illuminate
Depending on the area you want to light in your home, you will also need to determine how many recessed lighting fixtures you need. to determine amount of power required to provide adequate lighting, multiply the square footage of the room in question by 1.5. The answer to this will tell you how much power is required for the entire space.
Will Recessed Lighting Increase Home Value?
Recessed lighting is generally a popular choice among homeowners who plan to sell their homes in the future. In fact, homes that have recessed lighting hold an average listing price price ratio of approximately 101.5%. Not only will recessed lighting increase the value of your home, but it can also add a modern touch to your home interior.
When is the best time to install recessed lighting?
Although recessed lighting can increase the value of your home, the best time to install recessed lighting is during new construction or initial renovations, when you first move in. This way, you can use the new construction method to install a safe recessed lighting system without having to worry about living in a house without a ceiling.