Recessed lighting installation

Recessed lighting for kitchens, basements, and living spaces

Recessed lights, also called can lights or downlights, sit above the ceiling surface. They are common in kitchens, hallways, bathrooms, and finished basements. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that LEDs work well in recessed downlights because they emit light in one direction.

We install new-construction housings in open ceilings, remodel housings and canless LED fixtures in finished ceilings, and LED retrofit modules in existing cans. Before we cut any holes, we plan the layout with you: the number of lights, their spacing, how they will be switched and dimmed, and where joists, ducts, and pipes run above the ceiling.

Insulated ceilings and the energy code

Recessed fixtures below an attic or other unheated space need extra care. The electrical code does not allow thermal insulation above or within 3 inches of a recessed fixture unless the fixture is identified as Type IC. This is a fire safety rule.

Minnesota's residential energy code adopts the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. It requires recessed fixtures in the building thermal envelope to be IC-rated, labeled for low air leakage when tested to ASTM E283, and sealed to the ceiling with a gasket or caulk.

Air sealing matters because each fixture is a hole in your ceiling. A code brief from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reports that up to half of the leakage at a recessed fixture occurs where the drywall meets the housing. If you have older cans that are not IC-rated, we inspect the insulation around them and tell you whether they should be replaced.

Wiring, permits, and inspection

Adding recessed lights usually means new cable runs, new switch locations, and sometimes a new circuit. We check that the circuit has room for the added load and that switches and dimmers are rated for the LED fixtures you choose.

Minnesota law requires electrical work to be done by a licensed electrician working for a licensed contractor, with a narrow exception for homeowners who personally do the work on a single home they own and live in. New electrical installations must be inspected, except minor repair work as defined by rule. We file the permit and schedule inspections with the state or your city, whichever has authority at your address.

Do not cut into a ceiling or extend a lighting circuit yourself. Call right away if a fixture or switch feels hot, you smell burning, or you see sparks. For urgent problems, use our 24/7 emergency electrical service.

Book recessed lighting

Call 651-488-5555 or schedule an estimate online. A licensed electrician looks at the ceiling, the attic above it if there is one, and your panel, then explains the layout and the work. We install the fixtures and test each light and dimmer. If you are also replacing other fixtures, see our lighting installation and upgrade service.

Signs you need recessed lighting

• A room depends on lamps or a single center fixture
• Your kitchen counters or work areas are in shadow
• You are finishing a basement or remodeling a kitchen
• Your existing cans are old, not IC-rated, or feel drafty
• You want to replace old cans with LED fixtures
• Recessed lights flicker or buzz on their dimmer

Common questions

Sources

• U.S. Department of Energy — LED Lighting
• City of Saint Paul DSI — Electrical checklist, dwelling unit rough-in (2023 NEC 410.116(B))
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Residential Energy Code fact sheet (2012 IECC)
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center — Recessed lighting code compliance brief
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Electrical inspection checklist (wet and damp location luminaires)
• Minnesota Statutes 326B.33 — Electrical licenses
• Minnesota Statutes 326B.36 — Electrical inspections
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Electrical permits for homeowners