Recessed lighting is a very popular option in living rooms, family room lighting, and kitchen lighting. The advantage of installing it is that it keeps the light bulb and fixture inside the ceiling, and therefore providing more usable living space in the room, or at least a feeling of more space. It also acts to protect the bulbs from being inadvertantly damaged and helps to keep the bright light from being seen directly by the occupants of the room; the bulb itself is mostly hidden from view. Recessed lighting is considered by many to be stylish and contemporary and very desirable to have and use. It is most often installed with a dimmer switch, although that is certainly not necessary, and accompanying sconces for supplimental decorative lighting.

Most people use some kind of flood shaped light bulb in their recessed lighting, something similar to a PAR lamp or a BR or R shaped bulb. Since these fixtures have a standard screw-in socket, you can choose to use any normal light bulbs if you wish. The advantage of using reflector flood bulbs is that the bulb directs most or all of the light down into the room, instead of losing a significant portion of it into the can itself. For the best possible color rendering and color temperature (in other words, the best lighting quality), we recommend using Sylvania halogen PAR light bulbs. These bulbs are whiter and brighter than standard flood bulbs, and they will typically last about twice as long. They are fully dimmable and very durable. As another option, you could elect to put compact fluorescent flood bulbs in. This would save you money over the life of the bulb due to much lower energy costs. Be careful, however, if you have a dimmer switch installed. Compact fluorescent bulbs are not engineered to be used on a dimmer, although there are models that are specifically designed for that purpose.

Matching up the size and diameter of the light bulb is very important when purchasing replacement light bulbs for your recessed lighting. The diameter needs to be correct so you can ensure the bulb is narrow enough to fit inside the can, but wide enough to cover the view of the inner parts of the can. Ideally, we recommend you use bulbs that leave about 1/2 inch of space between the edge of the bulb and the recessed can. As for the length of the light bulb, you need to know that the lighting industry lists the Maximum Overall Length, or MOL. The MOL of your bulb should be considered, as we would suggest that you purchase a bulb that stays flush with the ceiling, or one that sticks out no more than 1/2 inch. If it comes out much farther than this, you may not be happy with the cosmetic appeal of your lighting. If it is not long enough to at least be flush with the fixture, you may not get complete light coverage in your room.

If you need any assistance in finding your replacement light bulbs for your recessed fixtures, please let us know by calling us (800.859.8074) and one of our highly trained customer service representatives will help you. We have been in the lighting industry for over 55 years and have extensive light bulb knowledge that we can use for you. Whether it's recessed light bulbs or any other type, we have access to over 10,000 products, so there is an excellent chance we have the light bulbs you need.