• A light bulb is only one small component of a lighting system.Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
  
  Adding or updating lighting in your home can improve your home's value as well as your living experience. The overall lighting system has three basic components: power, control and load. Each of these components also has its own set of options. Understanding these parts and how they interrelate can help you choose the best lighting for your needs and designs.
  
  

Power

• It may seem basic, but power is an important component of lighting that can't be taken for granted. A standard household circuit provides power for approximately 2,400 watts, but this wattage is divided among everything on the circuit, including wall outlets and any appliances or heating and cooling units that may share the same circuit. If you are adding lighting fixtures to your existing lighting, find out as much as you can about your available power to ensure you do not put too heavy a load on your circuits.
  
  

Control

• The most basic form of lighting control is the light switch. This can be a wall switch, or a switch or pull chain built into the fixture itself. The switch interrupts the power flowing to the light, causing the light not to receive electricity. Dimmers are also a type of switch, but instead of completely interrupting the flow of electricity, they regulate that flow. If you plan to install dimmer switches, make sure you use dimmable light bulbs and fixtures. Many compact fluorescent and other bulb styles cannot be dimmed without additional technology.
  
  

Load

• In electricity, load refers to the component that draws power from the circuit; in this case, the light bulb. While the bulb itself is the load, the light fixture may be considered a part of the load component because each fixture has specifications and limitations regarding the type of light bulb you can use.
  
  Components of the fixture include the socket, which is where you screw or push the bulb in; the housing, which is the overall cosmetic casing for the light; the bulb itself, which may be incandescent, fluorescent, LED, halogen or some other type; and any diffusion or baffle, which spreads the light evenly or softens its appearance. Low-wattage light bulbs reduce the load on your circuit, making it easier to add more lighting with limited power.