There are loads of different types of lighting to consider these days, there are so many styles, colours and shapes to choose from. Checkout our simple lighting guide covering the major types to give you a better understanding of what lighting you might need for your home.
Incandescent lighting is the most common and well known lighting as it is also known as the standard household lighting. These lights have been in our homes for generations but with new lights on the scene they are beginning to dwindle away. Incandescent bulbs are known to burn electricity so that the filament within the bulb can be heated which in turn produces the light, hence why they are known to loose so much heat.
Incandescent bulbs last approximately 2,000 hours which is considered as a long life span, however if you compare it to other lighting it is no longer impressive.
The government has been pushing at retailers to only stock energy efficient lighting meaning that eventually it will be extremely difficult to get your hands on an incandescent bulb, so it’s best to make the change to energy efficient lighting sooner rather than later.
A halogen light or a downlight is a light that typically contains halogen gas which enables the bulb to illuminate. The reason for the bulb illuminating is that the gas and the filament create a chemical reaction which gives off a white bright light.
The main downside to halogen lights is that they produce a great deal of heat which accumulates on the surface of the bulb due to the chemical reaction that takes place. Many people feel this is a major issue as there is a risk of fire so if you are considering halogen lighting make sure there are fire precautions in place.
Fluorescent lighting or strip lights are long thin tube light which are most commonly seen in office buildings and garages. Many people often choose to have these lights in their home such as in the kitchen or living room. These lights have a great advantage as they do not produce heat as there is no chemical reaction occurring. Instead electricity is passed through the mercury vapour meaning it can last ten times longer than standard lighting.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lights
LED lighting or light emitting diodes are the most talked about light over the last number of years and they are set to be the bulb of the future with thousands of home owners switching to LEDs each month. The LED light is made up of a cluster of smaller LED’s that are then grouped together. LED lighting is extremely energy efficient as it is known to last up to fifty times longer than a standard bulb, making it much more appealing to home owners. The only major disadvantage to home owners is the price of the bulbs as they are more expensive than standard bulbs. However it is worth spending the extra money on these bulbs as they do not have to be replaced as much, they last longer and they save hundreds on an energy bill each year.