How to Get the Best Out of Energy Efficient Lighting
Sometimes it’s the little changes in a house that turns it into a home. Take residential lighting for example, using just the right effects in your living room, kitchen, dining room and bedrooms can make a big difference in comfortability and relaxation, without taking a big bite out of your budget. Here are a few tips from EarthTronics on what to consider when you upgrade your home’s lightbulbs and fittings.
Throw away your past assumptions about LEDs.
There are many immediate advantages when you switch to LED lighting. They use much less electricity than other bulbs, have extremely long rated lives, produce very little heat, do not emit UV or infrared, contain no mercury, are resistant to shock and vibration, and can operate effectively in extremely cold environments. But even with these benefits, many homeowners may still consider LEDs to be a cold and inflexible lighting choice, but not anymore.
LEDs can emit any color score you’re looking for.
A Color Rendering Index (CRI) is generally used to measure light quality on a scale from 1-100. Nowadays, most LEDs have a CRI rating of at least 80, and many are rated 90 and above. To avoid the blueish hue that’s often associated with LED light bulbs, be sure to look at the lighting facts label on the package and purchase bulbs with a high CRI. A high CRI of 85 or above means the colors of furniture and decor will look more or less how they look when the room is sunlit.
Incorporate dimmer switches into your lighting plan.
Dimmers can reduce the flow of electricity to a bulb, meaning you only use the amount of energy you really need. Dimmers can also extend the life of your LED bulb even longer! They also allow you to set the right mood, whether you’re looking to start the day with full light or unwind at night in a darker, more relaxed environment, LEDs with dimmer can do that for you. And, an LED bulb on a dim setting produces very little heat while retaining its color, even at low light.
Look to EarthTronics for high-quality, energy efficient LED lighting.
We’ve built an extensive LED EarthBulb product line that provides homeowners with the opportunity to conserve energy while creating a warm environment for families and friends. We recommend using EarthTronics flood lamps in recessed lighting, table and floor lamps, and with several decorative bulbs for chandeliers and wall scone applications. All EarthTronics lighting products provide long life, energy savings and a positive environmental impact. And be creative! Energy-efficient lighting can be a combination of task lighting and ambiance in order to suit both your functional and decorative needs and wants.
Lastly, be sure to have fun and experiment. Take some time to try out different bulb styles, with different CRI scores and dimmers to see what work best for you. If you ever have questions about your lighting layout or our inventory of bulbs and fixtures, contact our customer service team anytime.