If you're renovating your kitchen, one of the things you've probably thought about is installing under-cabinet lighting. However, many homeowners don't know how to choose the right lighting or install it properly. Before you take the plunge into buying new under-cabinet lighting for your kitchen, there are a few things that you should think about. Here are a couple of things to consider.

Think About Your Wiring Options

One of the things that you need to consider is the wiring options you have available to you. When you install under-cabinet lighting, you can choose from either hard-wired lights or those that plug into an outlet to operate.

Plug-in lighting is great when you want lights that you can just quickly mount under the cabinets and be done with. However, they do require access to outlets in order to use them. When you have your under-cabinet lighting hard-wired into your home's electrical system instead, you can control the lights with a switch, and you won't have to worry about getting access to outlets for power.

Consider Your Lighting Levels

Installing any kind of under-cabinet lighting also gives you the opportunity to control the level of lighting in your kitchen. In most cases, under-cabinet lighting is used for task purposes, so you want lighting that casts sufficient illumination on the counters. However, you should look for lights that also let you control the light level.

When you choose under-cabinet lighting with dimmer controls, you can regulate the light level no matter what you are trying to do in the kitchen. You can set the light level at the lowest setting on the dimmer for a nightlight or at the brightest setting when you need to see detail during task work.

Avoid Excess Heat

Your kitchen already has several sources of heat. Unfortunately, some of them are unavoidable. When you install under-cabinet lighting, you should make choices that don't add to the heat accumulation in your kitchen.

Incandescent bulbs are problematic because they radiate heat. LED lights, on the other hand, are cool and energy-efficient and won't increase the heat in your kitchen. Talk with your electrician about using LED lighting when you install your new under-cabinet lights.

These are some of the most important factors to think about when you're adding under-cabinet lighting to your kitchen. Consider these points, and choose the lights that are the best fit for your needs. That way, you can enjoy the lighting you've wanted with the lights that you need.