Do’s & Don’ts of Retrofit Lighting
Do you operate an older building? If so, chances are, you are currently dealing with outdated lighting. While the new construction standard used to be incandescent and fluorescent lights, modern LEDs have taken over. Their low energy usage and long lifespans are not only good for the planet—they’re great for your bottom line, too.
Before you move forward with a lighting retrofit to bring your building up to new standards, consider these do’s and don’ts.
Do: Use Energy-Efficient & Quality Lighting
High quality energy-efficient lights are what gives your retrofit its great return on investment.
Traditional lighting designs used incandescent or fluorescent lights. By reducing your lighting power density, you reduce the wattage per square foot while maintaining the same light output. You do this by choosing energy efficient LEDs—ideally dimmable LEDs.
As much as 95% of new construction lighting uses LEDs. You can bring your commercial space up to contemporary standards for less by using an LED retrofit lighting kit.
LEDs have a greater light throw and higher quality of light but require far less energy than incandescents and fluorescents with the same light output. LEDs also last longer, with lifespans of 50,000 hours or more. This means fewer maintenance calls, lower costs, and fewer headaches for you and your team.
Don’t: Cheaper Isn’t Always Better
When installing a lighting retrofit, it can be tempting to choose your lighting retrofit kit based on price alone. After all, the return on investment for LEDs can take a year or two to kick in, which makes the initial investment feel daunting.
However, choosing the cheapest option is a big risk. Less expensive lighting is often lower quality, which comes with a whole host of potential problems, such as:
- Flickering lights – Cheap lights often flicker, which leads to headaches and eye irritation.
- Quick burnout – Cheaper lights tend to have shorter lifespans than high quality LEDs, which means you will spend more time and money on maintenance and replacements in the long run.
- Unreliability – Cheap lights are not always reliable. They can turn on slowly, or sometimes not turn on at all. High quality lights work the way they are designed to work every single time you turn them on.
If you are committed to upgrading your lighting, it is in your best interest to invest in good quality lighting. Choose the best LED retrofit lighting kit, and you will be satisfied with your lights for years to come.
Do: Talk to The Manufacturer About the Lights
Want to retrofit your lighting system, but not sure where to start? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the product manufacturer.
Here at TCP, we are always happy to talk with you about your project. Bring us your questions! We can discuss the quality of the lights, the quantity you will need, and explain complicated warranties.
We want to make your retrofit project as simple as possible. As experts in the lighting industry, TCP is here to support you so you can feel good about executing your LED retrofit.
Don’t: Forget to Measure
Recessed retrofit lights have a low tolerance for diameter differences, so be careful with your measurements.
If you cut the hole too big, the lighting may slip through or fall out. Too small, and you may have to widen it, which can cause damage to the ceiling. Measure carefully before you put any holes in the ceiling for your best bet. Even one eighth of an inch can make a difference when retrofitting your recessed ceiling lights.
Many retrofit lighting kits come with a paper template to make the measuring process easier. Once you trace the template, the key is to cut the ceiling exactly along the line that you drew.
TCP LED Retrofit Lighting
Ready to get started with your LED retrofit? With TCP, it’s easy to shop for what you need. Use our Easy-to-Buy tool to make your list, and we’ll connect you with your nearest distributor.
