Basement lighting: do the light correctly

If you organize the backlight correctly, the basement will be light, safe and even cozy.

To do this, you need to calculate the lighting, select the right fixtures and mount the backlight.

Let there be light: how to calculate the lighting in the basement

You can use the basement as a place to store unnecessary trash and look there once a year. And you can store garden tools, twists for the winter in the basement, or equip a billiard or gym.

Everything is possible, the main thing is to make the basement lighting, because there are no windows in these rooms. It is necessary to approach the organization of lighting seriously, because, according to statistics, the cause of every fifth fire is problematic wiring in the basement of the house.    

Light level

Before you make light in the basement, you need to calculate how many and what kind of lamps you will need. The main parameter is the level of illumination, which determines how comfortable and safe it will be to move or work indoors.

• The norm for basement floors and basements is 40–50 lx/m2. This characteristic is indicated on lamps or light bulbs. Knowing the area of the room, the number of necessary devices is easy to calculate.

Calculation of fixtures by power

The power of the lighting device is also taken into account. Incandescent lamps with a power of 15–20 W per square meter are suitable, and LED, fluorescent or halogen lamps for the basement are 4–5 W.

• To calculate the required luminous flux, you need to multiply the area of the basement by the required power of one lamp. If the ceiling height is higher than three meters, the power is multiplied by another 1.5. The final result must be divided by the power of one lamp that you plan to install, as a result, the required number of lamps will be obtained.

Lamps for the basement: what criteria to choose

• According to the rules for the installation of electrical installations (PUE), the main requirement for wiring and lamps for the basement is reliable protection against mechanical damage and moisture. Therefore, devices with a protection index of IP 44 and higher are used. This means that the luminaire can be used in rooms with high humidity (bathrooms and toilets), its body does not allow splashes and drops, solid objects larger than 1 mm.
• Ordinary incandescent bulbs are an unfortunate choice: in a damp room, devices quickly burn out, are susceptible to corrosion, which is fraught with a short circuit and fire. But LED devices are not afraid of moisture, safe and environmentally friendly to use.
• In addition, LED lamps are 10–20 times more economical than incandescent lamps and 2–2.5 times more profitable to use than energy-saving light bulbs.
• The service life of LEDs is 30-50 thousand hours. Taking into account the fact that, as a rule, they go down to the basement for a short time, the resource of the lamps will last not for years, but for decades.

LEDs are also pleasing in terms of choice: linear, pendant, overhead lamps, flexible tapes and tracks, spots and downlights - it is easy to find a suitable lighting option. And if you need help choosing lamps for the basement, please contact us at MIRODEMI.