Removing Recessed Lights

A home's lighting system can create an attractive ambiance for visitors, depending on the type of fixtures and overall placement of the lights. Recessed lighting has become one of the practical ways of lighting an area without taking up precious floor or table space. However, some residents may find that they would like to remove their recessed lighting so they can upgrade to a different fixture type, such as a floor lamp, especially if the property is on the market.

Removing Electricity from the Fixture

Before any work can be done on the recessed light, you must shut off any power to the circuit supplying the fixture. The home's main electrical panel should have clear labels denoting the circuit breaker that works with the lighting; you should shut this circuit breaker off at the panel. A non-contact circuit tester device needs to be used against the main electrical panel's ground terminal and the recessed lighting circuit breaker to verify that the power is effectively shutoff. This imperative first step prevents any electrocution from occurring during removal processes

Accessing the Fixture

A typical recessed light has a circular or square trim portion that clips off, as well as an internal bulb. Once these items are pulled from the recessed light, you can access the canister's supporting screws residing on the fixture's interior sides while standing on a ladder, if applicable. A simply loosening of these screws allows you to push the canister upward into the above hole so that it can be placed on the ceiling's floor area. It is good practice to have a friend hold the ladder that you are working on; some recessed lighting can be within very tall ceilings.

Removing the Fixture

For added safety, the non-contact circuit tester should be used on the wiring hidden within the ceiling. Each recessed light should have two plastic connectors covering two separate wire connections; you should place the tester up into the plastic connector so that the device touches the hidden bare wires. If the tester does not light up for either wire, you can hand remove the plastic connector and untwist the wires to free the fixture from the home's electrical wires. Once the last large cable wire is removed from the connection box, you can pull the canister down from the ceiling.

Hole Considerations

If a new recessed light is not desired for the open ceiling space, it should be covered with drywall. A drywall replacement requires you to place a small length of wood into the opening so that the drywall has a support to hold onto. This wood screws into the internal sides of the recessed light hole; a drywall cutout screws into this wood to cover the hole. Joint compound can be applied to the hole's seams and screw heads to create a smooth surface. Painting the dried compound will completely hide the previous recessed light hole.