If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

There are many ways that electrical fires can start in the home, any many ways they can be prevented. With all the tools on the market it can be hard to know what you should be using to protect your home. One important tool that you can use to prevent electrical fires is an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI). An AFCI could prevent electrical shorts and damage on circuits around your home.

Arc faults occur when electricity leaves the circuit and the current travels to a different pathway. This can occur if a wire is cracked, cut, or broken. When the wire becomes exposed the electricity can travel out and into the surrounding objects. When the electricity makes contact it will heat up significantly which can cause a fire. If this arcing occurs in your home, chances are the surrounding materials are wood or insulation. Once an arc fire starts, it can do significant amount of damage before you are made aware by the sound of your detector.

An arc-fault circuit interrupter (ACFI) can be installed on receptacles and circuit breakers to shut off the flow of electricity when it detects an arc about to occur. Because arcs are a sudden surge of power, standard circuit breakers may not shut off before the arc occurs as they are designed to prevent short circuits and overloads. Sudden surges of power in the electrical system can occur when devices and appliances, like a vacuum cleaner or light switch, are turned on. These are normal occurrences, which will be detected by the ACFI and allowed. But the ACFI also monitors the circuit for dangerous arcing and is ready to shut off the flow of electricity immediately when it occurs.

While many homes in Canada may have ACFIs installed, it has not always been a requirement. For homes that have been built before new electrical code requirements in 2002, there are likely no ACFIs installed in the home. This makes you vulnerable to arcs that are more likely to occur in older homes due to aging wiring. Currently, it is standard to have ACFIs installed on all bedrooms.

Our Expert Elections are experienced in installing AFCIs. Our electricians can detect if there are AFCIs currently installed in your home, and which points of your electrical system are critical and should have an AFCI installed. If you are unsure about your homes protection, call your local Expert Electric at 604-681-8338.

A common concern for those involved in home renovations or purchasing a new home is, “What is the state of the electrical system in the walls”. Some homes may not have had construction or renovations done since the original – this means the original wiring is still in place. Having original wiring in place can be concerning, especially if it is aluminum wiring. This type of wiring is commonly found in older homes and can be very dangerous. Read on to find out what you need to know about aluminum wiring and the dangers associated with it.

In the 1950’s to 1970’s, many homes were being outfitted with aluminum wiring. The reason for this was because the prices of copper (material normally used for electrical wires) had increased and the use of aluminum would undercut the high costs. Aluminum is also much more conductive than copper and was used in larger industrial/commercial electrical lines like power grids and airplanes.

Despite the reduced cost and increased conductivity, aluminum wiring has many potential issues. Aluminum wiring is much softer than standard copper wiring. This means that it is vulnerable to being broken, cut, and damaged which can leave live electrical wires exposed. Another issue is that when aluminum rusts, it is not as conductive as copper. Copper that rusts can remain conductive and continue its flow of power. However with aluminum wiring, rust in wiring will impede the flow of electricity and can cause a number of other issues. Aluminum also expands and contracts when it becomes hot. This constant flux in size will result in the wires loosening themselves and connections become loose. For all of the above listed reasons, aluminum is prone to overheating and electrical fires.

If you are unsure if there is aluminum wiring in your home, we have listed a number of warning signs that can indicate a hidden problem