HAVE YOU STOOD IN A STORE LIGHTING AISLE HOLDING A BURNED-OUT LIGHTBULB COMPLETELY AT A LOSS?
Rest assured that you are not the only one trying to navigate the confusion of today’s lightbulb aisle. As recently as five years ago you could bring a burned out 100w incandescent bulb and find an exact match at the local store. Now, good luck trying to make that exact match. LED bulbs are the most popular today but there are still plenty of CFL and Halogen options (Incandescent bulbs will be gone from store shelves soon).
There are big benefits with the most popular choice today of LED lighting. LED bulbs use at least 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light as their incandescent predecessors so as a result they have much lower wattage numbers. While LED bulbs cost more, they also last 25 times longer than their predecessors which will save money in the long run.
Here are some important terms to understand as you consider what type of bulb you need:
Watts measure energy consumption
Incandescent wattage ranges from 40 to 120 and is the amount of energy a light bulb uses. LED wattage range is much less.
Know the maximum wattage of your light fixture, exceeding that wattage can be extremely dangerous.
Lumens measure light output
Lumens range from 450 up to 2600 and is the real measure for light output. The higher the number the brighter the light.
Kelvin measures color
Kelvin ranges from 2000 – 7000 and is the measure of a light’s color. 2000 Kelvin will appear more of a gold color while 7000 Kelvin will appear more blue.
Fortunately, most manufacturers keep all three terms on the packaging. An example is a package that says “100W Replacement Uses Only 23W”, “Brightness 1600 lumens”, and “Light Appearance 2700 K.” Pay attention to bulb size and shape as some lighting fixtures have limitations to consider.
The final consideration is 'To Dim' or 'Not To Dim'? All packages should clearly state “Not Dimmable” or “Dimmable” which is important because you might not appreciate the performance of a “Not Dimmable” bulb in a fixture that has dimming capabilities.
You will also see smart lighting and colored lighting options to further lengthen what used to be a quick trip to the store. If you are already committed to smart and/or colored lighting engage us for a Smart Home Assessment today. The Smart Home Assessment is an opportunity to have a comprehensive roadmap to guide you along the journey to achieving ‘peace of mind’ as your home gets smarter.
Contact Smart Home Solutions LLC today at 978-969-0496!
