Downlights are an effective choice to illuminate a room and create a positive atmosphere. It is a light fixture which is typically installed in the surrounding ceilings of any room. The most common installation areas include kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms. Downlights are installed as a hidden light fixture within the ceiling which allows the downlight to direct the light into a narrow beam.

The Benefits of Downlights:

There are many advantages to installing downlights into your home! Downlights provide a sleek and stylish look. The light fixture provides a modern element to light your home compared to the traditional lighting fixtures. As downlights are installed within the ceiling, it saves space and makes the room appear bigger.

LED downlights are highly energy efficient. They allow the end user to save more on energy consumption when compared to traditional light fixtures. LED downlights have a long lifespan, are more durable, and provide bright lighting. They consume 75% less energy and last 25 times longer compared to incandescent lighting. Downlights are not only environmentally friendly but they also save you money on electricity bills. LED downlights help save energy, space, and costs!

Choosing the Right Number of Downlights:

Downlights are known for their flexibility. You can direct light to a certain area highlighting the focus or you can light the entire room. The amount of light depends on the size of the room, the décor, and the use of the room.

Every room is different and has different requirements. A living room or bedroom tends to have a more relaxed atmosphere, potentially requiring less light. Whereas a kitchen is used to prepare food, therefore, may need more light to ensure food is prepared safely. Downlights are perfect for illuminating kitchens. They can be directional to highlight features of your kitchen and worktop areas, or they can have a wider beam angle to spread the light evenly throughout the kitchen.

The best way to choose the number of downlights is to create a plan. Assess the size of the room and choose the areas you want as focal points. Downlights are typically used to focus certain elements of the room, for example above the counter in the kitchen or above the sink in the bathroom for better visibility.

Additionally, it is important to measure the ceiling height, length, and width to ensure perfect placement of the downlights. The height of your ceiling is determined by the height of the ceiling and divided by two. Downlights should not be spaced too close together, measuring the ceiling height will help prevent this. However, it is important to consider that some rooms with darker décor may require the light fixtures to be closer together to create more light. We have a wide range of dimmable downlights which will allow you to adjust the brightness of the light.

Please note, is important to measure the length and width of the room to prevent unwanted shadows to make the room appear bigger.

What Downlights are Suitable for Bathrooms?

The lighting in the bathroom should be functional with high visibility. Bathroom downlights create a relaxed ambience.

Bathroom downlights are presently one of the most often used bathroom lighting choices. Bathrooms require special care when selecting the best bathroom downlights compared to other rooms in the house since they are often always moist and wet. Since combining water and electricity is never a good idea, bathroom downlights need to be extremely resistant to moisture.

Consequently, you must consider the IP rating of a bathroom light while making your selection. The sealing efficacy levels of electrical enclosures against incursion from external substances like dust and moisture are defined by IP, or ingress protection ratings. Depending on where you plan to install the light, bathrooms are often divided into four zones according to their IP classifications.

In bathrooms it is important to be aware of the IP rating of the fitting because water and electricity do not mix!

Bathrooms are spilt into different zones:

• Zone 0 – This zone is inside the bath or shower. It requires a minimum rating of IP65.
• Zone 1 – This zone is the area above the shower or bath. In zone 1 (water sources) of a bathroom, 1P65 rating and above is required.
• Zone 2 – This zone is the area outside of the shower zone. A minimum of an IP44 rating is required.
• Zone 3 – This zone is any areas where there no water likely to be used. It is recommended installing to an IP44 rating.

The general rule is to ensure any bathroom downlight you install in a bathroom has a minimum rating of IP44. It is recommended that an electrician install an LED bathroom downlight for safe installation.

The Difference between Downlight and Spotlight:

Downlights and spotlights are very similar for using light to create a particular focus. However, the light fixtures are actually very different. Downlights are recessed into the ceilings concentrating the light in a downward direction whereas, a spotlight is fixed into the ceiling providing multiple light beams.

Downlights are typically used for large area illumination to provide an even spread of light across the area. Spotlights are used to highlight a particular area. Spotlights are not as popular, particularly not for showrooms and they are more expensive than downlights. Downlights are more versatile providing the option to light the whole room or focus the light on a certain area.

Can Downlights be Dangerous?

LED downlights are not a hazard. They do not contain any hazardous solids or gazes therefore, are safer for the environment and for your home or business. Halogen downlights are the potential fire hazard as they give out a lot of heat. LED downlights do not pose a fire risk if installed correctly, therefore it is important that a professional electrician installs your downlight fittings.

What Downlights are the Best?

Choosing the right downlight is important to create the right atmosphere for your chosen room. Integrated LED downlights are considered the best providing a modern appearance. They are reliable with a longer lifetime rating compared to the average screw-in LED bulbs and are more energy efficient. LED downlights can produce brighter light as halogen while

producing less energy! Integrated LED fixtures are popular in all rooms providing a range of colour temperatures to suit the feel of the room! Our most popular downlight online is the Kosnic 6W Mauna Plus Fixed LED Downlight. It is fire-rated with interchangeable magnetic bezels, allowing you to change the finish of the fitting. They have a switchable CCT function so that the user can select 3000K, 4000K or 6000K to suit the brightness of your room!

The Kosnic 6W LED Downlight has various key features, including:

• - Integrated dimmable driver
• - Interchangeable magnetic bezels with different finishes
• - Can be installed under insulation layer
• - Compact size
• - High lumen output

Here at Meteor Electrical, we offer a wide range of LED downlights and bathroom downlights supplied by the top light brands. We provide downlights with different finishes, colour temperatures and wattage, creating the look you want for your kitchen, bedroom, living room and even your bathroom! The extensive range provides high quality downlights that are easy to install and require very little maintenance.

If you require further advice or help with Downlights, please contact our lighting specialists via email at [email protected] or call us on 028 (048) 867 51515.