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Categories
Safety

Should You Switch to Energy-Efficient Lighting

Can lighting change your home?

Energy Efficient appliances are one of the quickest and simplest methods to improve efficiency in your home, with a wide array of appliances and products that provide increased performance while also using less power. There are even high efficiency light bulbs that will help you make the switch to energy efficiency without having to make big changes like replacing your kitchen appliances. There are two main options for these bulbs, CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs and LED (light emitting diodes) bulbs. LEDs are the best option on the market today, as they generate light without generating heat, which is a big issue with standard incandescent bulbs. These incandescent bulbs use energy to run power through its filament, which is that little metal wire you can see in the middle of your bulb. This results in light from heat generation, which is where the inefficiency lies–most of that power is lost in the heat that is produced rather than the light generation. CFLs are similar and also highly efficient, but are often outlived and outperformed by LEDs.  Taking the plunge in including energy efficient appliances in your home, even just in your lighting, will provide great benefits to you and the environment.

 

Less Energy

The greatest benefit to adapting your lighting to energy efficient solutions is that both LED and CFL bulbs consume energy at a much lower rate than your traditional incandescent bulb–as little as a tenth or less wattage for LEDs and half to an eighth for CLFs. While replacing just one fixture’s bulbs won’t do much to your energy bill, upgrading your whole home to energy efficient lighting will make a drastic difference in your energy costs. 

 

More Life

Energy efficient bulbs, while more expensive than the traditional bulbs you might have in your home now, are a great investment in your home because they outlive those cheaper traditional bulbs by years. After you’ve made the switch to LEDs or CLFs, you won’t have to regularly repurchase bulbs to replace the burnt out ones for years to come.

 

Increased Stability

All of these energy efficient bulbs also outperform incandescent light bulbs in extreme temperatures. Whether in freezing temperatures or sweltering heat, they fail far less often than a traditional bulb. Furthermore, because they produce less heat, you might even save a bit on your cooling costs over the summer without the added heat of lighting. 

 

Better for the Environment

Not only will you be doing your part for your wallet, energy-efficient lighting will help you do your part for the environment. With these bulbs, you’ll be replacing them less and consuming less power, which will make a dent in your carbon footprint. 

Categories
Safety

Can Lighting Change Your Home?

Can lighting change your home?

If you’re looking for a way to revamp your home that’s a little less complicated than knocking down walls and replacing floors, you might want to consider changing up your lighting. There are a lot of different creative ways to change up the feeling of your space with light, from temperature to brightness. We can help you utilize these techniques to suit your home, your needs, and your budget. 

 

Brightness

Installing dimmers in your home allows you to control the brightness in your space, so you can customize the ambience of your space.

The level of brightness in your space is actually correlated to emotional response, partly due to the association with heat. During the day, you might notice the natural light helps put you in a good mood. In the same way, bright, glowing lights in your space can significantly improve the general atmosphere of your home.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a more cozy setting, low level lighting helps to make your space feel warmer and cozier. With a dimmer, you can change what kind of feeling you want in your home through the brightness of your lighting with the simple touch of a finger.

Bulb Type

The temperature of the lighting in your home is also an easy way to transform your space. For warmer, yellower light, the type of bulb you might be looking for would be something like a fluorescent light, while an LED bulb will give off a cooler, bluer glow. The room that you’re lighting might play into your decision on bulb type and temperature. For example, lighting in bedrooms is more likely to be softer and comforting, while your kitchen’s lighting is usually brighter for functionality. 

 

Placement 

The placement of your lighting can make a big impact on your home and is an easy process. Adding ambience can be as simple as adding accent lighting to give your space a focal point. In your kitchen, a great way to elevate your kitchen is to install under cabinet lighting. It’s easy to install, cost-effective, energy-efficient, and helps to increase safety, while also making the space feel inviting. In other areas of your home, like your living room, accent lighting helps to highlight your favorite parts of your home and create the ideal ambience. Spotlighting a focal point, like artwork or a unique architectural feature draws the gaze to these areas and can completely transform the feeling of the room. 

 

If any of these ideas sound like something you want to tackle to change the feel of your home, call us at Coffin Electric. With the help of our professionally trained technicians, you can have peace of mind knowing that your transformation will be safely and correctly installed, and will look great too.