How To Install Recessed Lights | Ask This Old House

In this video, Ask This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman installs recessed lights in a homeowner’s playroom.

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Heath heads to a homeowner's house to help her with a dimly lit room. The homeowner explains that she has recessed lights in some of her rooms, but the children's playroom is lit only with a lamp. Heath knows just what to do, offering recessed lighting in the playroom to match the other areas in the home. After accessing the layout of the framing and the plumbing in the ceiling, Heath gets to work. After ensuring that the power is off, Heath rewires a switch-controlled outlet so that it's on constant power. Then, after removing the switch, Heath can look into the wall cavity to ensure that it's free of obstruction. Next, Heath drills holes in the ceiling for recessed lights (utilizing the dust shroud for mess control) and inside the wall for wiring. With the homeowner's help, Heath pulls wires for the new lights through the ceiling and back to the switch location before wiring the individual devices. Then, back at the switch, Heath installs a dimmer switch to control the room's brightness.

Skill: ⅗
Cost: Under $300 (depending on the light and number)
Estimated Time: 3 Hours

Shopping list:
Outlet [https://amzn.to/3nyrWMn]
Various wire nuts [https://amzn.to/3jHiKEm]
Electrical boxes [https://amzn.to/2XVBBUs]
Recessed lights [https://amzn.to/3jG7jfU]
Wire [https://amzn.to/2ZsTAT2]
Dimmable light switch [https://amzn.to/2ZDNW09]
Wall plate for the switch [https://amzn.to/3jHzPxS]

Tools:
Non-contact voltage tester [https://amzn.to/3mhZf6K]
Drill [https://amzn.to/3nD8IFl]
Keyhole saw [https://amzn.to/3Gqly2j]
4 ⅜ or 6 ⅜-inch hole saw [https://amzn.to/3EnQaQ0] (depending on the lights)
Fish tape [https://amzn.to/3vNZQjG]
Screwdriver [https://amzn.to/3CgtK2B]
Linesman’s pliers [https://amzn.to/3EqLfxX]
Flexible drill bit [https://amzn.to/3mmM5pj]
Wire strippers [https://amzn.to/3vQi8ki]

Where to find it?
Heath installed HALO brand HLBSL 4 in. Color Selectable New Construction or Remodel Canless Recessed Integrated LED Kit [https://amzn.to/3jG7jfU], which are manufactured by Cooper Lighting [https://www.cooperlighting.com/global].

The other tools and materials Heath used to install the recessed lights, including the drill, dust shroud, and wiring, can all be found at home centers and electrical supply stores.

Expert assistance with this segment was provided by Kelstrom Landscaping, Inc. [http://www.kelstrom.com/]

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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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How To Install Recessed Lights | Ask This Old House
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