Learn how to choose the proper light bulb for the job you want it to do.
One summer day at my grandmother's house she said, "Turn off the light, it'll make the house hotter.
I shrugged and flipped off the light switch. Since I was a child I thought that a light bulb making a house hotter was a silly idea.
Now, that I'm an adult I discovered that my grandmother was correct. Light bulbs can make a house hotter in the summer, but they can also waste energy all year long.
A regular incandescent light bulb produces both light and heat and the light produced is not efficiently produced.
I don't want to waste energy but I don't want to sit in a dark house either.
There's a better way to save energy than sitting in a dark house or a semi-dark house on a cloudy day. First, you will need to decide what type of light you want a light bulb to produce. With in-door lighting there are three types and they are:
1. General-is everyday lighting for general use.
2. Task- with a task such as reading you'd want a bright light or a light fixture that would focus the light in a small area. That would allow the use of a lower wattage bulb.
3. Accent- is a type of light that is more decorative in nature than useful.
Now that you know what type of light you want; you will need to choose the proper bulb for the job.
If you were to take a trip to your local department store and go to the light bulb aisle, you may be overwhelmed at the number of choices you have.
To help narrow your choices you must know that there are 2 basic types of bulbs most popular in normal household use and they are:
1. Incandescent- these are inexpensive to buy, not energy efficient, and usually last less than a year.
2. Compact Fluorescent- initial purchase is higher, energy efficient, and may last up to ten years.
The choice may be narrowed down, but the decision process isn't over yet. Before a bulb is purchased, the light fixture must be checked beforehand. The light fixture has a maximum wattage required for it. If your bulb has too much wattage for the fixture, it could cause overheating and start a fire.
While checking the fixture you also need to find out what base size and shape is needed to fit the light fixture properly. Light bulb bases can either be a screw type or have pins.
Thanks to the FTC comparison of the light bulbs will be easier. They require manufacturers to put certain information on these basic household bulbs and it is:
1. Light Output- This number is measure in Lumens. The higher the number, the more light is produced.
2. Energy Usage- This number will be shown in watts. The higher the watts, the more energy required to use the bulb.
3. Average Life- This number is stated in time, based on how long the bulb should work.
There are two more numbers you may want to consider when you choose a light bulb and they are:
1. CRI- Color Rendering Index is measured on a scale of 0-100. The higher this
Number is the more accurate colors will be seen.
2. Color Temperature- is warm, cool, or neutral. The scale runs from 2,000 to more than 5,000. The higher the number on the scale, the more the light appears to be cool. The lower the number, the light appears warm. Cool is preferred for task lighting and warm for general lighting.
You need to know the manufacturer's recommendation about the position the light bulb base should be placed in. Most incandescent light bulbs can be placed in any position.
However, some compact fluorescent light bulbs are designed to be used as either base-up or base-down.
Some say that you can use a base-up, in a down-base position, but not to use base-down in a base-up position. It could cause problems such as overheating. To avoid problems it would be best to follow the manufacturer's recommendation.
To save energy, it could be more efficient to replace all your incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs all at once. However, as noted above they are more expensive than incandescent bulbs. If you are on a limited budget you may want to consider replacing one or two at a time.
In the meantime - for the remaining bulbs - you may want to consider choosing the lowest wattage incandescent light bulb needed for the task. Just remember changing a 100-watt to a lower wattage incandescent light bulb will save some energy, but produce less light.
As you can see, it is possible to choose light bulbs that fit your needs, without raising your electric bill, or causing your house to get hotter. In choosing properly, there is no need to sit in a dark house - unless you want to.
