Clear Home Lighting

Home lighting became much easier many years ago when Thomas Edison invented his now well known incandescent light bulb. Indeed, his light bulb invention changed how lighting for the home is done, providing illumination to millions of households.  In fact, his light bulb design has been used for lighting home interiors and exteriors for over one hundred years, a true success story.

While the incandescent light bulb has provided illumination to countless homes worldwide and was clearly innovative in its day, the  design was not energy efficient.  Back then, providing light was the goal.  Today, the goal has been upgraded to providing light that is energy efficient.  With the current emphasis in the United States on energy efficiency, new energy standards have been mandated by Congress, and the non-energy efficient incandescent light bulb will be phased-out of  the consumer markets in the United State over the next few years.  Incandescent light bulbs will be replaced with energy efficient bulbs, such as the newer high-efficiency compact fluorescent and light emitting diode, to provide lights for the home.

With the use of incandescent light bulbs, the emphasis has tended to be on the wattage used by the bulb.  Watts is a measure of energy consumption.  It is not a measure of the brightness of the light emitted by the light bulb.   Lumens is a measure of  bulb brightness.  However, with the incandescent light bulb, the higher the watts used by the light bulb, on the home light fixture, the brighter the light emitted by the bulb tended to be.

With current energy-efficient technology, fewer watts are needed to provide  equal or more lumens. The difference in energy consumption between energy efficient and non-energy efficient light design is significant.  For example,  as previously mentioned,  compact fluorescent light bulbs tend to be more  energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, consuming less energy, while producing the same or greater amounts of light than an incandescent light bulb.   This fact can be illustrated by the following information provided by a light bulb manufacturer:  a common incandescent  60 watt light bulb puts out about 840 lumens and has an estimated life expectancy of about 1,000 hours. By comparison, a compact fluorescent light bulb that uses 14 watts puts out about  900 lumens and has an estimated life expectancy of about 10,000 hours.   Notice the significant difference in energy consumption, 60 watts versus 14 watts.  Moreover, notice the significant difference in the amount of illumination time the lights are reportedly designed to illuminate, 1,000 hours versus 10,000 hours.   In other words an incandescent light bulb that provides 840 lumens and consumes 60 watts tends to last about 1,000 hours. By comparison, a compact fluorescent light bulb that uses 14 watts provides 900 lumens and is estimated to last 10,000 hours.  Clearly, the implication for how these energy efficient light bulbs will impact the consumption of energy used by home lighting fixtures is evident, whether it is used in exterior home lights or home interior lights.

Consumers may also want to make special note of the life expectancy of the bulbs given that energy-efficient bulbs tend to last longer.  The life expectancy of the light bulb is  significant not only because fewer light bulbs need to be bought by consumers given that they last longer,  but also due to the fact that if fewer light bulbs are used, fewer need to be disposed, which is better for the natural environment.

In addition to the upcoming phasing-out of incandescent light bulbs in the United States,  the Federal Trade Commission announced that changes to the  package labeling on the bulbs is also occurring.  One of the main differences on the package labeling will be the emphasis on lumens on the front of the label instead of  watts.  The new packaging information that will be provided starting in 2011 will  include the following information to help consumers pick the best light bulb to meet their  lighting needs: (1)  brightness, as measured in lumens; (2)  estimated energy cost; (3)  estimated life expectancy; (4)  wattage; (5) whether or not the bulb contains mercury.  As of this writing, it is not yet clear if new package labeling will also apply to candelabra light bulbs, such as the ones used in some home light fixtures that hang from the ceiling.

Thus, while Thomas Edison made having home light  possible for millions of households worldwide with his incandescent light bulb, technology has improved lighting, making it possible to use lighting significantly more efficiently.   As a consequence, the incandescent light bulb will be phased-out of the United States  market place, and new labeling on light bulbs that emphasize lumens instead of watts will be used.

© 2009 Clearhomelighting.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Different styles and applications of home lighting are abundantly available for shoppers in the United States when they are considering adding or changing their home lighting fixtures.  In fact, numerous choices in designs are available for both the interior and exterior of homes. Moreover, different types of light bulbs are also available when choosing the type of  home light homeowners wish to use in their residence.

One type of light bulb available for lighting home interiors and exteriors is the light emitting diode, also known as LED.  Popular uses of LED home lighting include solar pathway lighting and low voltage pathway lighting, among other applications. Listed below are ten factors about LED home lighting consumers may wish to consider before purchasing lighting for the home that uses light emitting diode light bulbs in the lighting fixture’s design:

(1) Light emitting diode light bulbs (LEDS) are very energy efficient.

(2) LEDs tend to have a much longer life span than incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs.

(3) Unlike incandescent light bulbs, LEDs do not tend to get hot, since they release little heat.

(4) LEDs tend to be ecologically friendly, not only due to their energy efficiency, but also due to the fact that they do not contain mercury.

(5) LEDs tend to provide less light (lumens) when, for example, compared to incandescent light bulbs. Consequently, with the current techology in use, several LEDs are needed to provide adequate lighting.

(6) LED technology continues to develop.

(7) The quality of LED light bulbs vary.

(8) LED light bulbs that are ENERGY STAR listed have met ENERGY STAR’s high standards for lighting.

(9) LEDs do not tend to burn out abruptly at the end of their life. They start to dim.

(10) White LEDs do not attract bugs, due to the fact that they do not emit ultra violate light.

Thus, just as there are many choices when selecting lighting for the home, choices are also available when it comes to the type of light bulb the lighting fixture uses.  Homeowners may therefore wish to consider if  the light emitting diode is a good choice for the application for which they plan to use the lighting.  Enjoy.

© 2009 Clearhomelighting.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

One benefit of home ownership is the option homeowners have to install the type of lighting they wish to use and enjoy on their property, whether it is for lighting home interiors or exteriors.  One particular type of home lighting is outdoor pathway lighting. Outdoor pathway lights provides illumination along pathways, and can help prevent accidental falls. Moreover, pathway lighting can add decoration and ambiance to the exterior of residences, helping homeowners complement the landscaping designs they wish to create on their property.  This article will present information about eight factors consumers may wish to consider prior to purchasing pathway lights:  These factors are:  (1) design; (2) type of light bulb and energy consumption; (3) power source; (4) hardwired vs. plug-in vs. electricity-free option; (5) purchasing individual pathway lights and components vs. purchasing  pathway lighting sets; (6) price; (7) purchasing pathway light designed for outdoor use; (8) purchasing pathway lighting certified by Underwriters Laboratories.

(1) Pathway Lighting Designs: Pathway lighting fixtures are available in many sizes, shapes, and  materials.  For example, they are available in different heights, widths, and depths.  Shapes include pineapple designs, flower designs, and Tiki designs, among the more plain and simple designs.  Moreover, the choices in material from which they are made include aluminum, metal, stainless steel, and plastic. The finishes from which to choose when purchasing outdoor pathway lighting are also plentiful, including bronze, stainless steel, tarnished copper, and black matte.  Additionally, the material used in the lens component of pathway lighting include glass, plastic, and polycarbonate.  Some pathway lighting products are designed to withstand harsh weather, while others are designed to be corrosion resistant. Clearly, some garden pathway lighting designs are more durable than others.

(2) Type of Light Bulb and Energy Consumption: Light bulbs, at times referred to as lamps, used in pathway lighting include incandescent, compact fluorescent, halogen, and light emitting diode, also referred to as LED.  When information about light bulbs is discussed,  the term watts and lumens are often used.  Watts is a measure of the amount of electrical power consumed, which may vary significantly  by the type of light bulb used.  Lumens is the amount of light emitted by the light bulb, which may also vary significantly by the type of light bulb used.

Incandescent light bulbs:  Incandescent light bulbs were invented and introduced for residential use more than one hundred years ago by Thomas Edison.   These light bulbs are not as energy efficient as fluorescent, LED, and halogen light bulbs.  Most of the energy used in incandescent light bulbs escapes as heat, and thus the bulbs get very hot.  The life of the light bulb tends to be significantly less than compact fluorescent lights, halogen lights, and LEDs.  Moreover, incandescent light bulbs use more electricity (watts) than compact fluorescent lights and halogen lights to produce the same amount of illumination.  However, with current LED technology, incandescent light bulbs used with landscape pathway lighting provide more light than pathway lighting that uses LEDs.  Nonetheless, LED technology continues to evolve.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs: High quality compact fluorescent light bulbs (cfls), such as the ones with the ENERGY STAR qualification, use about 25% of the energy consumed by an equivalent incandescent light bulb to emit the same amount of light. They work at low temperature and have a significantly longer life than incandescent light bulbs.  However, cfls have some mercury, so they should be disposed of with care, preferably, recycled.

Halogen light bulbs: Halogen light bulbs are somewhat  more efficient than incandescent light bulbs, and tend to last longer than incandescent light bulbs.  However, halogens get very hot.  They also need to be handled with care, as touching the bulb with hands reduces the life of the light bulb.

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDS): LEDS are very energy efficient, have a long life span,  and do not tend to get hot, releasing little heat.  They also contain no mercury.  However, they produce significantly less amount of light (lumens)  than incandescent light bulbs.  Thus, groups of LEDs are needed to adequately illuminate an area.  Nonetheless, as mentioned above, LED lighting technology continues to develop.  LED  quality also varies. LED lighting that is  ENERGY STAR qualified has been tested to meet high quality standards.

(3) Power Source: Different options are also available when it comes to selecting the power source the outdoor pathway lighting is designed to use. For example, pathway lighting is available using solar, low-voltage, and standard home voltage power sources.

Solar pathway lighting:  Solar pathway lighting uses the sun’s energy to provide illumination.  Thus, the sun is the power source for this type of lighting.  Solar pathway lighting works by harnessing the sun’s energy during the day and emitting it at night.   In order for the solar pathway lights to work as designed, the solar panel components of the lighting must be placed in the direct sun.  The solar panels cannot be blocked by buildings, shrubs, trees, or any other object.  Otherwise, if the solar panel is not receiving direct sunlight, it will not work as designed.  However, when the solar pathway lighting is installed and functions as designed, depending on the design, they can provide 8-12 hours of illumination.  Solar pathway light tends to be easy to install, since no electricity is involved.  It is also ecologically friendly, given that it uses no electricity.

Low voltage pathway lighting: Low voltage pathway lighting usually uses a converter to convert the standard home voltage, which is about 120 volts in the United States, to low voltage, which is commonly12 volts in the United States for pathway lighting. Thus, low voltage pathway lighting tends to operate on 12 volts.  Because fewer volts are used, less electricity is consumed as compared to using standard home voltage. Moreover, LED pathway lighting is also available with low voltage pathway lighting, thus, LED pathway lighting that uses low voltage is energy efficient.  Additionally, given that low voltage is involved, some homeowners feel comfortable installing the low voltage pathway lighting themselves instead of hiring an electrician to install it.  Nonetheless, some electricity is still involved with low voltage pathway lights, therefore, consumers may wish to consider whether or not to hire an electrician to install the low voltage pathway lighting for them.

Standard home voltage: Pathway lighting that uses the standard home voltage of 120 volts in the United States is usually hardwired, which means that they are permanently connected to an electrical source.  They are not easily plugged and unplugged from an electrical wall outlet.  Thus, pathway lighting that uses standard home voltage usually needs to be installed by an electrician since high voltage is involved.

(4) Hardwired vs. Plug-in vs. Electricity-Free: Another option consumers have when shopping for exterior pathway lighting is whether the pathway lights will be hardwired, plugged-into an electrical outlet, or neither.  With hardwired designs, as aforementioned, the lighting fixture is permanently connected to an electrical source.  In other words, it cannot be easily plugged and unplugged from an electrical outlet on a wall.  This type of pathway lighting usually requires an electrician for installation,  since it generally involves working with the standard home voltage.  By comparison, low-voltage pathway lighting often involves plug-in, which is plugging-in an electrical cord into a wall outlet.  By comparison, electricity-free pathway lighting is the type that uses no electricity to illuminate, therefore, permanent electrical connections and wall outlets are not used.   Solar pathway lighting is an example of this type of lighting, given it is electricity-free.

Additional factors consumers may wish to consider before purchasing pathway lights include the following:

(5)  Does the consumer wish to purchase  individual lighting fixtures or a pathway lighting set?

(6)  What is the price range the consumer will pay for the pathway lights?  Individual units range, for example, from $4.00 for a single pathway light to $200.00 for a post lamp that illuminates pathways.  As with many consumer products, the quality of the construction and components of the lighting tend to impact price.

(7)  Is the pathway lighting and all its components designed for outdoor use?  This is very important for safety purposes, since the lighting will be exposed to the natural elements such as moisture and wind.

(8)  Is the pathway lighting certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL)?  Underwriters Laboratories is an independent product safety certification organization that independently tests products for safety standards.

Indeed, many options are available to consumers when it comes to choosing pathway lighting for their residences.  Considering the aforementioned factors prior to purchasing outdoor pathway lighting may help consumers select the pathway lights that will best help them provide and enjoy the illumination they wish to use on the exterior of their home.

© 2009 Clearhomelighting.com. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.