Home Improvement Advice for Electrical

Lighting Do it Yourself Tips for Electrical

In the average home, the lighting costs will account for about 10 - 15% of the overall electricity bill. Why not fit energy saving bulbs where you have ordinary bulbs at present. They use approximately a quarter of the electricity of a normal bulb.

All Purpose Lighting

Good lighting in each room is usually hung in the centre of the room.

Service Lighting

Full lighting, normally overhead, usually used in Kitchens.

Living Lighting

Otherwise known as mood lighting. This involves dimmer switches, wall lighting, lamps etc, any lighting which can set a mood in a room.

Safety Lighting

Used to light any dangerous areas such as steps (sensor light PIR)

Different Shades of Lighting

Incandescent Bulbs

Give out soft white light, and are commonly used in bedrooms, lounges etc.

Fluorescent Strip Lights

These give out a blue/white light and are extremely bright, mostly used in Kitchens etc. Fluorescent lights come in a variety of colour temperatures to give different effects from brilliant white to pinky white.

Halogen lighting

Pure white lighting, low wattage halogen lights are used indoors and when run from mains are used as flood lighting large areas. Far more energy efficient than standard bulbs.

Positioning Lighting/Task Lighting

Consider what you will be doing in each room and where, i.e. sitting at a dressing table, this will help you decide where you will need your lighting.

Consider the following points:

Kitchens

Work areas, serving space and most used areas, focused lighting may be best, such as concealed lights under cupboards.

Bedrooms

Think about night reading (and not wanting to get out of bed to turn out the lights), getting ready to go out, i.e. doing hair and make up will need more light through the room.

Bathrooms

Safety first, mirrors should be well lit and good all round lighting, spot lights positioned well are a good idea. Specialist lighting is available for bathrooms, steamproof lighting for instance and obviously you always have a pull cord, we do not want any wet hands near light switches.

Lounges

All round lighting is needed, but in the evening relaxing light is more appropriate, think about dimmer switches and lamps (with energy saving bulbs.)