How to Install Recessed Lights
If you are trying cut back on costs and are looking for a great way to limit your energy consumption, look into installing recessed lights in your home. These lights are a great way to focus attention on one or many different locations in the room, and they generally use the same or less energy than a single light bulb. Putting these lights up may seem like a daunting task, but it can be rather simple. The easiest way to install recessed lights is in a room that has a second floor above it. Installing these lights with an attic above requires fewer tools and is actually easier to do. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Stud finder
- Drill with and without flexible head
- Skill saw
- Several feet of electrical wiring
- Recessed lighting kit
- Wire nuts
- Screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Turn off the power to the room at the fuse box or circuit breaker. This is always the first step when dealing with anything electrical.
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2
Find and mark where the studs are in the ceiling. This should be done across the entire ceiling.
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3
Choose the location for your new recessed lights between the studs. You can place as many or as few lights as you would like in the room, as long as you have a large kit, enough wiring and enough power.
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4
Drill a hole in the center of where you would like each recessed light, and then cut around it to the correct measurement to hold the new light.
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5
Remove the current light socket from the ceiling, and pull out and disconnect the wires and power cord from the light. If you are using the old socket placement as one of your recessed lighting holes, then pull 18 inches of wiring down; otherwise pull the wiring to the closest hole you've made.
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6
Use the wiring you bought to connect all of the holes for the lights, above the ceiling. To do this, you will need to drill through the studs above using the flexible-head drill and feed the wiring through. Allow 18 inches to hang down through each hole at each end of each wire.
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7
Take the recessed lights one at a time and connect the wiring to the proper locations on the socket using wire nuts. Do this all the way around the entire room.
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8
Install the sockets into the ceiling. This normally only requires you to push the socket into the hole you have cut and then mount it using two to four screws (depending on the socket). Once the socket is installed, screw in your new light bulb.
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9
Place the socket cover over the socket. This step will only apply to certain lighting sets, but some have a glass or plastic cover over the light and/or a ring the goes around the socket. This makes the socket mounting look neat and clean. Normally this mounting only requires two or three screws, but it will depend on your light set.
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Tips & Warnings
There should be nine wires in three different colors together: three black, three white and three grounded wires. Be sure you have this before continuing past Step 5. Determine you have enough power to power all of your lights by looking at the wattage of your old socket. This number will tell you the total amount of watts you can have between all of your fixtures. Occasionally this can be exceeded, but you won't want to risk it without approval from an electrician.
