Recessed lighting is a popular upgrade in Texas homes, and LED technology has made it better and easier to install than it was a decade ago. Good results depend on planning: where the lights go, what kind you choose, and how they are controlled. This guide covers layout, dimmers and what a recessed lighting installation involves.
Why upgrade to LED recessed lighting
LED fixtures use a fraction of the electricity of the incandescent and halogen lamps they replace, and they last for many years of normal use. They also give off far less heat. That matters in Texas, where heat from a ceiling full of old can lights is heat the air conditioner has to remove. Modern LED recessed fixtures are slim, often with no can at all, so they fit where joists, ducts and low attic clearance once made recessed lighting impractical.
Recessed lighting layout: spacing and placement
Start with what the light is for. General lighting fills the room, task lighting puts light on a work surface, and accent lighting highlights a wall, a fireplace or artwork.
- Spacing. A common starting point is to space lights about half the ceiling height apart. With an 8 foot ceiling that is roughly 4 feet between lights.
- Distance from walls. Keep general lights about 2 to 3 feet off the wall to avoid harsh scallops and dark corners.
- Kitchens. Place lights over the front edge of the countertop, not in the center of the walkway. Otherwise you stand in your own shadow while you work.
- Bathrooms. Use recessed lights for general light and the shower, and add lighting at the mirror for faces. Fixtures in showers must be rated for wet locations.
- Living rooms and bedrooms. Avoid a rigid grid. Arrange lights around seating, walls and features.
- Ceiling fans. Keep lights outside the sweep of the fan blades to prevent a strobe effect. If you are adding a fan too, plan the ceiling fan installation and the lights together.
Choosing LED fixtures: color, brightness and ratings
- Color temperature. This is measured in kelvin. 2700K to 3000K is a warm white suited to living areas and bedrooms. 3500K to 4000K is a more neutral white often used in kitchens, garages and work areas.
- Color quality. A color rendering index (CRI) of 90 or higher makes food, skin and finishes look natural.
- Brightness. Compare lumens, not watts.
- Insulation contact rating. Fixtures in an insulated ceiling must be rated for contact with insulation, shown as IC on the label. Airtight fixtures also limit conditioned air leaking into the attic.
- Location rating. Use damp or wet rated fixtures in bathrooms, covered patios and exterior soffits, which see real humidity on the Gulf Coast.
Dimmers and LED compatibility
Dimmers are worth having on nearly every recessed lighting circuit, but the dimmer and the fixtures have to match. Older dimmers were made for incandescent loads. Paired with LEDs they often cause flicker, buzzing, lights that glow when off, or a dimming range that stops well short of low. Use a dimmer rated for LED loads, check the fixture maker's compatibility list where one is published, and stay within the dimmer's LED load rating.
Smart dimmers add scenes, schedules and voice control. Most need a neutral wire in the switch box, which some older homes lack. Our smart home wiring service can sort out what your switch boxes will support.
What recessed lighting installation involves
- Assessment. The electrician checks the existing circuit's capacity, attic access, joist direction and obstructions such as ducts and plumbing.
- Layout. Locations are marked on the ceiling and adjusted around framing before any holes are cut.
- Wiring. Cable is run from the switch to each light, usually through the attic. A new circuit is added if the existing one cannot carry the load.
- Fixtures and controls. Fixtures are connected and set in place, and switches or dimmers are replaced.
- Testing. Everything is tested across the dimming range.
Converting old can lights is simpler. Retrofit LED trims fit many existing housings, though worn sockets and overheated wiring in old cans sometimes need electrical repair first. New wiring may require a permit, depending on the city.
Is recessed lighting a do-it-yourself project?
Swapping a bulb or a screw-in retrofit trim is within reach of most homeowners. Running new cable, adding switch boxes and making connections in an attic full of insulation is a different matter. Mistakes hide above the ceiling, where a poor splice or an overloaded circuit becomes a fire risk. Leave new wiring to a residential electrician.
We serve homes and businesses statewide. Look for an electrician in Arlington, an electrician in Austin or an electrician in El Paso, or find an electrician in your Texas city.
To plan recessed lighting or an LED upgrade for your home, call AA Electrical Services & Design at (888) 633-7804.