There is much more to lighting installation than simply buying a bulb and screwing it in. The amount and quality of light a room receives can reveal, or hide, its character and aesthetic appeal. While ambient lighting design can shape the feel and personality of a room, task-oriented lighting is important for providing the utility necessary to complement household tasks and hobbies; a kitchen counter, for instance, benefits most from directed top-down lighting installations that minimize glare. There are many different types of lights to consider, but some of the more popular and modern solutions fall under either LED or pot lights.
LED Light Installation:
LED stands for ‘light emitting diode’ and has several advantages over both incandescent and fluorescent lights. It takes significantly less power–just nine watts–for an LED light to equal the illumination of a traditional incandescent, which works out to roughly 77% in power savings, increasing to 81% if you take a 12-watt LED instead. This energy-efficient lighting makes LEDs useful for areas like lobbies and parking garages or commercial signs that require near-constant illumination.
LED lights are also of the “immediately on” type, so they lack the flickering, slow power up that phase fluorescents go through when activated. Their compact size and low temperature means that they can not only be used for versatile arrangements, but can also be positioned closer to the objects being lit.
The low-heat generation and their ability to work well in heat and cold temperatures makes LED lighting installations ideal for freezer cases or retail displays in addition to household uses like patio or yard lighting. As a fully dimmable light, LEDs can also be installed in dining rooms for a nice ambiance.
Pot Light Installation:
Pot lights, called “recessed lights”’ in the U.S., are a type of light fixture that is embedded in the ceiling. If you’ve ever seen a room with raised circles around holes in the ceiling, then you’re looking at the trim surrounding a pot light installation. Pot lights have three main parts: the housing, which is inside or above the ceiling; the trim, which is the visible rim; and the bulb itself. Pot lights are typically compatible with halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent bulbs, but there are also LED bulbs designed to fit inside a holder. It’s worth noting that mixing the trims and holders from different manufacturers is not recommended, since not all fit inside each other the same way.
For obvious reasons, pot lights aren’t usable outdoors; indoors, however, they are able to be customized for a variety of lighting needs by changing their size or trim. Models with a diameter of two to five inches can be used in closets, cabinets, or similarly small enclosures. Larger models have a diameter of six inches or more and are the most common type employed for lighting a room or office.
The pot light installation can be further customized by using different types of trims. For a few examples, consider the glass trim, which gives a sparkling, prism-like effect to the light. Then there are baffle trims, which reduce glare, and adjustable trims that let you aim the light at a specific location—perfect for directing attention to a wall hanging or other piece of art you have displayed. The ability for each pot light to have a different size and trim offers immense versatility in designing lighting solutions.
Toronto Electrical Expert’s Advantage:
Toronto Electrical Expert’s credentialed and experienced electricians will work together with you to devise and deliver custom, energy-efficient lighting installation for your Toronto home. We will go through your home room-by-room and work with you to find the right lighting design for area of your residence.
Contact us to get started on finding the perfect energy-efficient lighting installation in Toronto.