Recessed Lighting: The Pros and Cons

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During a home makeover, kitchen lighting is often on the agenda. Kitchens impose special lighting needs, quite different from a bedroom or a den. The brightness and temperature of the bulbs as well as the focus of the light are important in the cooking environment. Also, cleaning is often an issue as kitchens produce humidity, smoke and fumes that may accumulate on light fixtures and dim the illumination. In general, the choice of kitchen lights begins with a decision about whether to install recessed lighting or standard fixtures, particularly where new LED lights are desired.

Here are some of the pros and cons of opting for recessed lighting in a kitchen:

Pros

  • Recessed fixtures emit light in a more focused area that concentrates lighting, usually the perfect choice for performing specific tasks such as food preparation and cooking.
  • Because the bulb is fully recessed into the housing, which is embedded in the ceiling, it’s less exposed to dust, smoke and humidity and requires less frequent cleaning.
  • Recessed lights provide an uncluttered look and don’t disturb the contour of the ceiling like external fixtures do. This clean, seamless appearance is particularly aesthetic in a kitchen environment. Once recessed lights are turned off, the fixtures almost seem to disappear.

Cons

  • Because the light fixture penetrates the ceiling, installation of recessed lights is generally more complicated than adding an external light fixture on the ceiling. Attention must be given to routing electrical wiring as well as the location of joists in the ceiling to properly place the lights.
  • For safety reasons, recessed lights that may come into contact with attic insulation above the ceiling must be specifically rated for that use.
  • Recessed lights are a permanent installation and not portable. If you sell the house and move, you can’t take them with you.
  • Certain ceiling materials such as ornamented plaster, concrete, or ceilings with a complex contour aren’t a good choice for installation of recessed lights.

Ask the professionals at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing for more information about options for kitchen lighting.

"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
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