Buying guides

Straight answers to the questions that come up at the counter — wattage and beam angle, colour temperature, dimming compatibility, IC ratings and fan sizing.

• Colour temperature explained: 2700K to 5000K

  2700K, 3000K, 4000K, 5000K — what the numbers actually mean, which one belongs in which room, and why mixing them on one job is the mistake clients notice first.

• DLC Premium and Save on Energy rebate eligibility

  Ontario incentive programs generally pay against the DesignLights Consortium qualified products list, and often at a higher rate for Premium. Here is what the listings mean and what to keep on file.

• How to choose LED potlight wattage and beam angle

  Wattage stopped being a useful measure of brightness when LEDs arrived. Here is how to size potlights by lumens, pick a beam angle, and space them so a ceiling lights evenly instead of in spots.

• Smoke and CO alarm placement in Ontario

  Where alarms are required, where interconnection is mandatory, how photoelectric and ionization sensing differ, and why every alarm has an expiry date most people never look for.

• TRIAC vs 0-10V vs ELV dimming compatibility

  Most LED dimming complaints — flicker, buzzing, lights that drop out at the bottom of the range — come from a mismatch between dimmer, driver and fixture. Here is how the three systems differ and how to pair them.