When was the last time you thought about light bulbs? If you are like most people, then you only think about them when they are in need of replacing. Lighting has not traditionally received the proper attention it deserves. Having a proper lighting technique is an important part in making a home more inviting. In Southwest Florida, the primary source of lighting is being seen in recessed cans. This type of lighting, also know as a down light, is installed into a hollow hole in the ceiling. With the increase in home ceiling heights, this lighting has become more difficult to install and properly maintain.
There are three reasonable options when it comes to choosing a style of light best fit for your home and style:
1. Incandescent: This is the most popular type of lighting, since it’s usually the least expensive option. An issue with incandescent lighting is its high energy level, therefor burning out faster and giving off poor light quality.
2. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL): Recently, there has been significant development in this type of bulb. They are energy efficient, produce less heat, are available in various temperatures, and last much longer compared to incandescent.
3. LED Bulbs: LED bulbs offer superior quality lighting. They can last up to eight times longer than CFL bulbs, create little heat, and are offered in a variety of temperatures. Using recessed cans in tall ceilings are not an issue with this bulb, as the light does not dissipate. LED lighting also presents your granite counter tops and glass tiles with shine. An added bonus, studies show that just one LED bulb will prevent about a half ton of greenhouse gasses over its lifespan. The initial price of this bulb is the highest of the three, however uses less electricity and will shine much longer.
Lighting temperatures are used to describe the color of light that your bulb gives off. This color ranges from warm to cool, or also yellow to blue. Lighting quality is measured in degrees of Kelvin. The typical range for a residential home is between 3000K to 5000K.
- 2500K – 3000K: Soft White is a pleasing light with a yellow tint, and slightly distorts natural color.
- 4000K: Warm White is a warm lighting source that allows trues colors to be shown.
- 5000K: Daylight is a bright white color, excellent for retail locations.
How do you select the lighting that is right for your home? Most Green Mountain customers prefer the quality of light produced by 4000K bulbs, providing the most natural white lighting in your dream home. Not all lighting temperatures are available at your local store, so we recommend going online to 1000bulbs.com and ordering one of each temperature to test them out. You will never think of lighting the same way ever again, so we invite questions and feedback on our Facebook page.