Types of Recessed Lighting Recessed lights are flush with the ceiling, making them great for rooms with low ceilings. Sometimes called can lights or downlights, recessed lights have three main components: the housing, the trim and the light bulb (or lamp). Use recessed lighting in the bathroom, kitchen, living room or office. For more information on lighting your home, check out Home Lighting Tips. The housing is the actual light fixture. It sits inside the ceiling and holds the trim and the light bulb. Find the housing that suits your needs: New construction housing is used in new homes or when adding a room onto your house, before the ceiling is installed. Remodel housing is used to install recessed lighting in an existing ceiling. Insulation Contact (IC)-rated housing is designed so that surrounding insulation is not disturbed. Non-IC housing must be installed with insulation at least 3 inches away from the housing. Airtight housing reduces the airflow between the space above (usually the attic) and the room below the light fixture.

Shallow ceiling housing is used in ceilings with 2-inch by 6-inch joists. Slope ceiling housing allows space for the light to be angled in a sloped ceiling. Cheap Shower Curtains EbayCheck angles before purchasing.Shower Curtains With Rhinestones The trim fits inside the housing and extends to form the outer ring you see when looking up at the ceiling. Unique Ways To Hang Grommet CurtainsFind the trim that fits your decor: Baffle trim has a ribbed interior and is the most common recessed lighting trim. Eyeball trim allows you to focus the light where you want it. Use eyeball trim for accent lighting or wall wash lighting. Wall wash trim has a shield over half the light to evenly focus light on a specific feature such as a fireplace or a painting.

Shower trim has a tempered glass lens for safety. Shower trim recessed lights are also wet-rated, making them good to use over a shower and in bathrooms. Good to KnowFor flexibility, install a dimmer switch to change the mood of the room. Check the packaging to see if the recessed light is dimmable. To get everything in a one-stop shop, look for a light kit. Kits are available for all sizes and types of recessed lighting. Line-voltage kits are your standard light kit. Low-voltage kits have a built-in transformer and help with energy savings, but are more expensive. Low-voltage recessed lights also require a special dimmer switch (sold separately). LED retrofit kits let you convert recessed lights to LED and work with existing housings. Selecting the proper recessed light depends on where you plan to install it and the function of the light. Recessed lighting is available in 3-inch to 6-inch-diameter lights. Locate the ceiling joists, and measure the amount of space in between.

This will tell you what size light fixture you need. The 6-inch recessed light projects a wider beam of light and provides ambient lighting. It’s best to use as a main light source such as in a kitchen or living room. Smaller recessed lights are better for accent and task lighting. Use 3-inch to 5-inch recessed lights to highlight a painting or light a kitchen island. Take a cue from the existing finishes in your home. If the door handles and cabinet hardware are all in brushed nickel, choose a trim in a complementary finish. White is your best option if you want the trim to blend in with the ceiling. Popular trim finishes include: Bronze with frosted glass You can also change the trim for a different finish or style at any time without changing the housing. Six-inch trim comes in more varieties, but 3-inch and 4-inch trims are also available in other finishes. Refer to the manufacturer’s instruction manual for step-by-step instructions, safety, and warning and caution information.

If in doubt, consult a qualified electrician. Don’t forget light bulbs. Things like color temperature, lumens and wattage all play a factor in your room’s quality of light. Halogen and LED bulbs are the most common bulbs for recessed lights. LEDs help lower energy costs and are cool to the touch. In general, look for a warm white color temperature for living rooms and bedrooms, a bright white color temperature for kitchens and workspaces and a daylight color temperature for reading nooks and studies. For more information on light bulbs, check out the Light Bulb Buying Guide. CautionNever exceed the maximum wattage recommended for your light fixture. Read the inside of the housing to find out what light bulb type to use.How to Change a Light Bulb in a Shower Ceiling When the light bulb in a shower ceiling goes out, many homeowners assume they can grab a stepladder and quickly change out the bulb. They often are surprised by the confusing recessed lighting fixture they find overhead.

It displays no visible screws, and the frosted lens doesn't seem to budge when prodded. But once you know how a torsion lighting fixture works, changing the bulb is a simple process. Turn off the shower light at the light switch. Place a rug with a rubber backing in the shower stall for secure footing. Place the step stool on top of the rug. Insert a plastic putty knife between the outside rim of the light fixture and the ceiling. Be careful not to scrape the finish off the ceiling when inserting the blade. Pry the fixture cover away from the ceiling with the putty knife. The fixture cover includes a translucent plastic lens within a metal rim. The cover is held in place by torsion springs, so it will be resistant to release. Apply careful pressure until the cover pops off. Remove the old light bulb, and replace it with a similar bulb. Press the cover back in place. The torsion springs will click into place when you press the cover into the ceiling. Wear safety glasses to prevent dirt and debris from falling into your eyes.

Apartment Therapy: Recessed Lighting: How to Change the Bulb This Old House: Loosening Recessed Light Bulbs Lighting is one of the most important elements in a home, especially in a bathroom--you need to see what you're doing while... Changing a recessed light bulb involves turning off the lights, letting them cool for five minutes, ... How to Change a Light... Once you have adequate shower lighting, ... choose low-voltage halogen light bulbs for your shower. Halogen light bulbs cost a bit more... How to Replace a Shower Light Fixture. Replacing a shower light fixture might seem like a daunting task. However, if you replace... How to Change a Light Bulb In Recessed Shower Lighting; How to Change a Bulb in a Waterprooof Shower Fixture; How to Remove a Recessed Can Trim How to Change a Recessed Light Bulb Waterproof Light Fixture for a Shower How to Change an MR16 Bulb How to Loosen Recessed Light Bulbs How to Replace Recessed CFL Bulbs