The DIY Guide to Converting Your Recessed Lights to LED

Nobody can argue that lighting isn’t important in a home. “Good lighting can create exciting moods, and help maximize the successful performance of daily living tasks and activities while helping to create a beautiful energy-efficient home,” states TheCanConverter, a company that specializes in DIY recessed lighting conversions.  At one point, the lighting of choice was canned lighting. Every new home was retrofitted with these recessed lights, and home remodelers made this a priority. They’re popular for directing lighting on certain focal points and can be dimmed with an associated switch to create an atmosphere.  Canned or recessed lights have their place, but for the most part, this trend has passed. Now, homeowners are more concerned about energy efficiency, which makes LED lights a popular choice.

The Advantages of Switching to LEDs

LED lights use most of their energy for light rather than heat, which is how incandescents operate. Canned lights often have incandescent light bulbs, and you need more of them to light a room. This raises your energy bills and leads to excessive energy waste, costing you two-thirds more on yearly lighting expenses when compared with LEDs.  According to an article from GreenFitHome, LEDs emit only 8-12 watts of energy while emitting the same brightness as a 60-watt bulb. Plus, they last longer. “An LED bulb lasts an average of 50,000 hours compared to an incandescent bulb’s relatively sad 1,200 hour lifespan,” the article says.  LEDs also contain no mercury, unlike their once popular CFL counterparts. “In addition, LED lights are significantly more compatible with dimmers than their CFL counterparts,” the article says.

Homeowners also love the look of LEDs, saying that it creates a more natural-looking light. “So many people – really, SO MANY, more than I ever would have thought – have come into my house when the lights are on and have looked around and said, ‘Did you paint? Everything looks so bright!’ shares a contributor to The Chronicles of Home. She converted her canned lights to LEDs and reported an incredible improvement. “It was an instant upgrade and has given our house a fresh, updated look,” she says. “It’s one of those things where people notice something is new and nicer but can’t quite put their finger on what it is.”

How to Convert Recessed Lights to LEDs

The benefits of converting your recessed lights to LEDs are clear. You don’t have to feel as though you are stuck with recessed lighting, and you don’t have to pay a contractor thousands of dollars to convert them. You can use this simple, DIY guide to help you convert your can or recessed lights to LEDs:

 

Use a Recessed or Can Light Conversion Kit

 

Don’t hire a contractor to update your home’s lighting—a simple can or recessed light conversion kit will do the trick. These conversion kits are designed to work with the existing hole in your ceiling so you can use updated fixtures and LED lights without a huge renovation.  The can or recessed light conversion kits are extremely simple to use, and you don’t need previous electrical experience to safely make the switch. Just follow the instructions in the manual, and you’ll be fine.

 

Choose Modern Fixtures

 

Some simpler conversion kits only allow you to take your recessed light and install a flat fixture over the top. Choose a can or recessed light conversion kit that offers a variety of gorgeous, modern fixture options to give your home excellent light and modern appeal.  Today’s light trends revolve around hanging fixtures, particularly in areas where there’s no risk of banging your head, such as over a dining room table, above the kitchen island, over the sink, or in a high-vaulted entryway.

 

Enjoy Your New Space

 

All you did is change out your recessed lighting, but it’ll feel like you did much more. The light in your room will be all-encompassing rather than spotlighted, creating a brighter, more comfortable feeling that you can enjoy for years to come.  

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