What is Lighting Installation?We need light. I don't just mean Vitamin D, soak up the sunshine kind of light, either. If we are to get anything done before or after dark, inside or outside, we need artificial light.
That's where lighting installation comes in. What's that? Indoor lighting may seem to us as natural as the sun sometimes, and understandably so. The first electric light was first patented in 1879, after all. That's well over 100 years ago. I don't know anyone on earth that old, do you? So, all most of us have ever known is indoor lighting.
Even before 1879, though, people were well aware of the need for light. We used candles and oil lamps for thousands of years. But of course, that means fire. I suppose that's another story for another time, though.
What exactly is lighting installation? Simply put, it is the installing of artificial lighting into a building. This will include wiring and lighting fixtures, then the connecting of these two.
Although it did take time for many people outside of major cities to adopt the new trend, as early as 1881 electric lights were installed indoors. (This was done in the Philadelphia department store of John Wanamaker.) Between then and the 1920's electricity was the hot new topic. By that time, all the major cities of the U.S. had competing electric companies, each racing along with its own set of poles and wires, ready to bring the miracle of electric light and appliances to all.
As you can see, then, although indoor electric lighting is as natural to us as flipping on a switch without thought, it was a process to get to this point. Now that we are here, what are the options for lighting installation?
Although desk lamps and floor lamps are quite common for their mobility and power of shedding additional light into a space, that doesn't exactly fall into the category of lighting installation. With a portable lamp, you plug it into an electric outlet, and if you move you can take it with you. When it comes to lighting installation the lights are hardwired into your home. That means they are connected to your ceiling or wall and you would have to detach the wiring in order to replace the light fixture (please don't do this as an unprofessional electrician ) or to take it with you when you move. They are no less important, though.
Who doesn't love the comfort of walking inside from a dark night and simply turning and flicking the switch? Your house lights up. Fears are abated. No, there are no scary monsters lurking in the shadows. That is the comfort of having lighting fixtures installed. No bumping into furniture, creaking of floor, as you make your way to turn the knob of the nearest movable lamp. No. Don't do that. Two words: Installed lighting.
So, what are the options? In a good lighting plan there are three basic types of hardwired lighting, but almost endless variations of those three. They are: Ambient (or, general lighting), Task, and Accent.
Ambient light is the most dominant type of lighting in a home. It is lighting that covers a general area with a comfortable level of brightness. When you flip on the switch as first coming home, most likely it is the ambient lighting you are accessing. In a very small room or work space, this would also likely double as your task lighting.
The types of lights used for this include chandeliers, recessed or track fixtures, wall or ceiling mounted light fixtures, and even exterior lanterns.
Task lighting helps you to perform specific tasks. (Surprise, surprise.) Good task lighting would accomplish its job free of distracting glare or shadows. It would also be bright enough to prevent undue eye strain.
Examples of task lighting are recessed, pendant, or under-cabinet lighting.
Accent lighting is especially an option to those who wish to create visual interest in a room. This would include lighting that draws the eye to pictures, sculptures, or even the texture of a wall, window treatments or outdoor landscaping.
The most common choices for accent lighting are the use of recessed lighting, track lighting, or wall mounted picture lights.
We are in an era where technology is becoming more and more a part of everyone's lives. We may not be science fiction quite yet, but sometimes it eerily seems like it. We are past the days of gas lamps and candles to light our way. We all deserve to have good installed lighting in our homes.
If you live in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area, let Wire Works be your lighting consultants and installers.
Wire Works Company Incorporated
102 S Tejon Street Suite 1100
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903
United States
Phone: (719) 492-6955
###
Wire Works Co Inc provides electrical wiring in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the surrounding areas. Give us a call today – our specialized consultations can take your electrical wiring, securi
