Basement recessed lighting installation

I was at least using the proper rubber coated wire stripper for cutting the wire so I'm sure that helped. If there's one thing you do, buy and use a simple voltage tester. Now what are you waiting for? Try it this weekend. Go to Home Depot at lunch and buy the can light, a line tester and a wire stripper and get started. Or go to amazon right now and order them for delivery straight to your house.

If you follow the steps in this article you are doing so of your own will and volition, I cannot be held liable for any injuries that you may incur. Signing you up Free Basement Cost Estimator. Here's the deal, if you'll give me your email address your good one, not that fakey one you have for male enhancement pills I'll send you some great basement content about once a week.

Know what? You're about to get a new friend, me! Click the Button Below to Sign Up. Click the Button Below. Jason, How do you calculate the number and placement of the cans for the basement lighting especially if I decide to go with LED lights?

Jason, I like your easy-to-understand and funny lighting lesson. Having never installed lights in a basement, I wanted to make sure there wasn't something I was missing about the diy. Thank you. Some of us, however, are in the reverse situation of which gender is doing the work and which is complaining about the television going off. I hope you can see this soon.

I am in the process of finishing my basement and have no idea how to install recessed lights when I plan to have a drop ceiling. Some articles I read suggest have the ceiling done first, but nothing lines up for me. How did you do it? I'm in the stage of electrical. Hey Colin - I'm afraid I can't be of much help for the drop ceiling as I did a drywall ceiling. Hi Jason.

I want to install recess lights on an existing circuit where there is a string light currently. The string light is attached to a circuit that runs upstairs from basement. Is it possible to use this circuit and attach a dimmer switch that does not affect any electricity upstairs? How would you go about this conundrum? Your email address will not be published. Comment Box. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Complete Wiring by Stanley. Ultimate Guide to Wiring. What I failed to do when installing my first recessed light The first time I did this exact project I didn't test the line didn't have a line tester then. You'll have more light, save money and feel awesome. Good luck! Let's Do This!

I hate spam, your email is safe. Unsubscribe whenever, no hard feelings. Sign Up With Facebook. Questions and Comments Click here to ask a question or leave a comment. That is why it is important to select the right trim for your specific needs.

However, if you want to use recessed lighting in a living area, you can use baffle trims to provide a softer light. The third and final component needed for recessed lighting is — you guessed it — the bulb!

The bulb is what will ultimately provide the light, of course. While recessed lighting can be used to get maximum light coverage in an area of the house, the type of bulb you decide to get still plays an important role. When all three of these major components come together, you have recessed lighting!

However, to get the most out of your recessed lighting, you need to ensure you install them correctly! This consideration comes down to whether or not your home is insulated and whether you plan on insulating it in the future.

Like with installing recessed lighting post-construction, homes can also be insulated after the fact with certain methods. When homes are insulated during construction, fiberglass is typically used. When finished walls need to be insulated , cellulose insulation is blown in through carefully cut holes in the wall.

Regardless of which method you use to insulate your home, if your home is insulated or will be insulated in the future, you need to use a recessed light that is IC rated. The IC rating of a lighting fixture refers to an Insulation Cover rating, which advises you on the suitability of this type of lighting fixture in a wall or ceiling that is insulated. This is an important safety consideration to make! While not all homes are insulated, there are many benefits to insulating your home.

From maintaining optimal indoor temperatures in your home to saving on your energy bill and reducing your carbon footprint, the advantages of insulation go on. If your home is already insulated or you plan on insulating it in the future due to the great benefits , you will need to ensure that you install IC-rated recessed lights. The trim you settle on will alter the effect of the light provided by the bulb you decide to get, as discussed earlier. In terms of lighting technology, incandescent lighting is considered the oldest technology we still use today.

These lightbulbs function with a filament. However, this type of lighting is known to get hot while generating light. The rest? You guessed it: heat! While it could work, it may not be the best option for your home. Halogen bulbs are rather similar to incandescent bulbs as they both function with a filament.

However, the filament in this type of lighting is encased in a capsule that contains what is known as halogen gas. While these lights last longer than their incandescent counterpart and burn slightly brighter, they get even hotter!

Again: they could work, but there might be a better option. As electricity reacts with the gas in the chamber, the tube begins emitting light.

However, due to the twisted tube shaping of these bulbs, they might not be the perfect choice for your recessed lighting. Ultimately, it depends on the trim you decide on! In terms of lighting technology, LED is the newest type of bulb featured on this list. LED lights are becoming increasingly popular due to the many benefits they provide users.

When it comes down to the best trims for your basement, it really depends on how you plan to use your basement space! Not only does your trim conceal the recessed fixture that is behind it, but it also directs your light the way you want to use it. Even the color of your trim plays an important role. The darker your trim, the more you will diminish the brightness of your light. We looked at briefly earlier in this article. The first step to installing recessed lighting in your finished basement is selecting the housing for your lights, in addition to the trim and bulbs.

Luckily, there are plenty of options! You will need to repeat this process to update different lighting fixtures to recessed lighting.

When working on your basement lighting, you should switch off power to that area in your house. Once you have done this, you will need to remove the junction box, which is above it, in the ceiling. You might need to use the saw to separate the junction box from the joist it is attached to. This template is for you to trace onto your ceiling and is typically between 4 and 6 inches in diameter.

The trim will cover this edge later. Those wires we mentioned earlier? You may need to strip insulation from some of the wires in order to wire them together. To test your wiring, turn the power in this area back on and use a voltage tester to ensure the fixture works as it should. Before you do the last steps, you should turn the power to the basement off again at the breaker switch.

Depending on the trim you buy, there might be specific instructions regarding attaching it to the housing. Generally, this is very simple due to the template you used to cut the right size hole for the fixture and trim.