Recessed Lighting: What to Know Before You Install
From Solana Electrical, AZ ROC #341966
The short answer
Recessed lights sit up in the ceiling and give a clean, even light without fixtures hanging down. In West Valley homes they often go into ceilings with hot, insulated attics above. Knowing the fixture types, how insulation affects them and how dimmers work helps you plan a job that looks good and stays safe.
What recessed lighting is
A recessed light is set into the ceiling so that only a trim ring and the light show from below. People use them to brighten kitchens, hallways, living rooms and closets, and to replace a single dim ceiling fixture with more even light.
Many older homes in Sun City and the West Valley were built with one light in the middle of each room. Adding recessed lights is one of the most common ways to make those rooms brighter, which also helps with seeing steps, edges and things on the floor.
IC-rated and non-IC fixtures
This is the most important safety detail when the ceiling has an attic with insulation above it.
An IC-rated fixture is rated for insulation contact. It is built so that insulation can lie against it. A non-IC fixture is not. Building code guidance says insulation must be kept back from a non-IC housing, and the fixture must also be kept away from wood and other materials that can burn. If insulation was later piled over a non-IC light, the fixture can run hotter than it was designed to.
For ceilings below an insulated attic, code calls for fixtures rated for insulation contact and sealed against air leaks. These are often labeled IC and airtight, or ICAT. Airtight fixtures keep cooled air from leaking into the attic and keep hot attic air and dust out of the room.
LED wafer lights and cans
There are two common styles today.
Can lights use a metal housing set into the ceiling, with a trim and a bulb or LED insert. Many older homes already have them.
LED wafer lights, sometimes called canless lights, are thin fixtures with a small driver box. They need less room above the ceiling, which helps where framing or ductwork is tight.
Many wafer lights are rated for insulation contact and airtight. Check the label rather than assuming.
Older cans can often take an LED retrofit insert, which cuts heat and power use, as long as the insert is listed for that housing.
Layout basics
There is no single right number of lights for a room. It depends on ceiling height, the size of the room, the light output of the fixtures and what you do there. A few general ideas help.
Light the places you work, such as counters, the sink, the stove and a reading chair
Avoid putting a light right behind where you stand at a counter, which casts your shadow on the work
Keep lights away from where they would shine straight into eyes from a bed or recliner
Plan around ceiling joists, ducts and fans in the attic before cutting
Group lights on switches so you can light just part of a room
Dimmers
Dimmers let you set bright light for tasks and softer light in the evening. With LED lights, the fixture and the dimmer need to work together. The Department of Energy notes that dimmable LEDs need a compatible dimmer. A mismatch can cause flicker, buzzing or lights that do not dim smoothly.
If you already have recessed LEDs that flicker on a dimmer, the dimmer is a good first thing for an electrician to check.
Attic heat in older homes
West Valley attics get very hot in summer. That heat matters for recessed lighting in a few ways. Work in the attic has to be planned for safe conditions. Old wiring in an attic may have become brittle from years of heat. And older cans may be non-IC fixtures sitting under insulation that was added later.
When we add or replace recessed lights in an older home, we look at the existing wiring and fixtures in the attic, not only the spot where the new light goes.
Signs an existing recessed light needs a look
Some problems are easy to spot from below.
The light shuts off by itself and comes back on later, which can mean it is overheating
Discolored or scorched trim or ceiling around the fixture
A burning smell when the light is on
Flicker that stays after you change the bulb
Getting recessed lights installed
Adding recessed lights means cutting the ceiling, running new wiring and often adding switches or dimmers. A permit may be required depending on the scope and where you live.
Call us at (602) 999-2770 and a real person answers, any hour. We will ask about the rooms, the ceiling and the attic, and you will hear the price before anyone drives out. All of our labor and material carry a two-year warranty, and we are licensed under AZ ROC #341966.
If a recessed light smells like burning, has scorch marks around it or keeps shutting itself off, turn it off at the switch and leave it off until it is checked. For smoke or fire, get out and call 911.
Common questions
What does IC-rated mean on a recessed light?
It means the fixture is rated for insulation contact, so insulation can lie against it. Non-IC fixtures need insulation kept away from them.
Can I put LED inserts in my old can lights?
Often, yes, if the insert is listed for use with that housing. An electrician can check the housing type and whether it is rated for insulation contact.
Why do my recessed LEDs flicker when dimmed?
The most common cause is a dimmer that is not compatible with the LED fixtures. Replacing the dimmer with a compatible one often solves it.
