9/25/2018 Let there be light, but do it right

Let there be light, but do it right

 Thu, Sep 27, 2001, 01:00

Standard wiring in a home will usually allow for a few sockets in a room to be used for free-standing lights and a central
pendant light, but there is more that you can do with lighting. "The central pendant is the least helpful place to have a
 light fitting because you will usually be sitting with your back to the wall, so if you are reading a book the light will be in
front of you, if you're watching the TV, it will be between you and the television, and if you're talking to someone, it will
be between you and them," says Denis Casey of Rath Lighting Design. "The kitchen is the exception - here you stand with
your back to the middle of the room, which is worse because you are standing between the light and whatever you are
working on." However, in a room with a high ceiling a central pendant does provide good lighting - it just helps to have
other sources of light as well. It is a good idea to have at least two different types of lighting in each room to increase your
options.

If you are getting the house rewired, or are building or renovating a home, then you must consider lighting at the early
stages and think about what you really want. Wiring in a house is generally divided into the "first fix" and "second fix." At
the first fix stage the electrician comes in and fixes conduits (which contain wires) to walls, which the plasterer then
covers. At this stage you should tell your contractor that you want your conduits chased into the walls (hidden in the
walls) rather than on the surface and simply boxed over. At the second fix stage the electrician puts the fittings on. "You
need to think about your lighting needs at the first fix stage," says Denis Casey. "Fixing a few more pieces of wire to the
wall and adding some extra points won't cost much extra whereas changing sockets and adding light fittings after the
plastering has been done is very expensive and disruptive." At the very least include some extra sockets as this will give
you flexibility with free-standing lamps. You need to decide at the early stage whether you want wall lights as these need
to be wired into the wall.

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Look at the way in which the door swings open - it's not uncommon for switches to be placed behind the door, which
leaves you grovelling in the dark, tackling a door and trying to locate the switch. Just inside the door is the best place to
put a light switch.

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9/25/2018 Let there be light, but do it right

Lighting designers (or architects and interior designers) will draw up what is known as a lighting plan, perhaps marked
up on a set of architect's plans, showing where all the sockets should be placed and what type of lighting they want and
where. At the very least you can draw a sketch of your rooms and indicate where the furniture will go so that you can have
sockets to provide task lighting near sofas, chairs and beds, and so on.

The usual sockets in a room will be on a 13-amp circuit and, along with this, you can ask an electrician to put in a separat
5 amp circuit for the lighting - this gives higher protection against electric shocks. You can plug floor and table lamps into
these sockets, which are smaller than normal sockets, so you can't mix the plugs up (you can buy 5-amp plugs in any
electrical shop). All the sockets on this circuit can be wired to one panel by the door, so that you can switch the lights on
from here.

Make sure you have as bright a lamp (as light bulbs are correctly known) as possible so that your dimmer options are
increased. Lighting is great for creating different moods which is necessary now that each room in our homes can have
different uses throughout the day and evening.

At the wiring stage you can also think about where you would like sockets, switches and other fittings. If you ask an
electrician to wire in wall lights, you must say at what height you'd like all of them, otherwise you could end up with light
at an unsuitable height and even at different heights to each other in the same room! Traditionally, sockets have been
placed low down on walls but you may want to consider placing them higher up - low sockets are at an awkward height
for certain disabled and, sometimes, older people to negotiate. The same goes for light switches - can everyone use them
easily ?

Regulations concerning bathrooms dictate that you can╣t have a switch which you can touch. This has traditionally
meant that pull switches are used in these rooms although it is safer to have all switches outside the bathroom - if you are
rewiring it's worth moving the switches. The exception may be lights above the mirror with a pull switch. Conversely, if
your switch is outside your bedroom door you may want to have this moved inside.

Regulations regarding light fittings changed recently and they must comply with an electrical standard, known as an IP
rating. The higher the IP rating, the more waterproof the fitting is (with some being suitable for use underwater, for
instance on harbour walls). Bathrooms should have low-voltage fittings with a minimum IP of 23. Fittings with very high
IP rating can be expensive but a fitting with an IP of 23 won't cost much more than a standard fitting. It is possible to sea
in lights that aren't specifically for bathrooms, but it can be difficult to ensure that they are completely moisture proof
and changing the lamp can be tricky.

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A garden will be much more accessible at night-time if you fit lighting here. Ask your electrician to fit three circuits so you
don╣t have to have all the lights on at the same time. You can have lighting in, say, the patio, lawn and flower beds. The
standard underground cable comes with three circuits anyway so you╣re not asking a great deal of your electrician to
request this (make sure your electrician uses a cable suitable for gardens which can't be pierced by spades and forks).
Each circuit can be wired to a central switch.

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9/25/2018 Let there be light, but do it right

At the second fix stage, when the electrician is adding the fittings to the wiring, you should consider whether you want
standard switches, sockets etc, that are provided by the electrician or whether you want to choose your own fittings from
a supplier .

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When it comes to the lights themselves, there are still a lot of unexciting, "traditional-style" lights sold widely. Innovative
lighting, because it is catering for a smaller market, is often (but not necessarily) more expensive. Specialist lighting
suppliers include Rath Lighting and ECI, while outlets such as Enclosure, Inreda and Habitat sell contemporary lighting
along with furniture ranges. In high street lighting stores perhaps look for something that is unfussy or, if you don't see
anything you like, ask if the store has any catalogues you could look at. When looking through brochures check the
industrial ranges, such as those by Thorn, with spun metal shades and bulk-head fittings (basic oval wall lights) which ar
meant for commercial premises but which can look good in homes.

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