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Things Your Neighborhood Lighting Stores Don't Tell You

By Julie Davidson

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 14May2011
Word count: 637
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Do you think that lighting installment crews or sales people from lighting stores tell you everything you need to know about what to buy, or which product is better? Hardly. At best, you will probably only get all the necessary information you need in order to buy something - but not all the information you need to properly decide which lighting product you will buy. When this happens, it becomes a waste of time and money because the fixture you purchased isn't what you actually need.

If there's information your neighborhood lighting stores usually fail to tell you, you will find the following tips helpful in deciding the fixtures you will need for your home.

Kinds of Lighting

Different homes require different lighting. The same goes with each room in the house. The lighting need will really rely on the purpose of the room, or the function it will serve. It will also depend on the mood and ambiance you would like to project in a particular location.

The different kinds of lighting are general lighting, accent lighting, decorative lighting, and task lighting. For each section of your house, it's best to find out what kind of lighting will go well with the location's elements. This will ensure that the lights won't look misplaced. Moreover, figuring out the type of lighting can help you create that ideal visual effect you've always wanted for your home.

Low-Watt Bulbs

Low-watt bulbs perfectly fit outdoor locations, such as the shaded portions beneath a tree. It can give emphasis on the natural landscape without the blinding illumination given off by bulbs with high wattage. These type of bulbs are also good for illuminating flower beds in your garden.

Power Consumption

Did you know that there are types of bulbs that can emit enough light without costing you a fortune? All you need to do is to check for the light bulb's lumens per watt rating. It is a measurement of the efficiency of a light source according to the light emitted against the power consumed. Lumen is the unit used to determine the brightness of the light source. A 100-watt bulb, for instance, has 1,200 lumens. To compute for the lumens per watt, simply divide the number of lumen by the wattage of the bulb.

Color of the Bulb

Generally, you should use warm colors for bulbs located inside the house. For outdoors, whiter light is advisable because it provides greater visibility at night. To know if a bulb is fit for indoor use, it should have a color temperature of 2500 to 4000 Kelvin. A bulb with a color temperature of 5000 to 7000 Kelvin is best for outdoor use.

Cost

LED bulbs are more expensive than regular bulbs, but to make up for its high price, they last longer. They also have low power consumption. And since energy costs are constantly on the rise, it's rather easy to see how the low electricity cost of LED bulbs are actually more advantageous to the buyer in the long run.

Security

In areas that need more security, or are vulnerable to criminal elements, it is better to use bright lights for illumination. Trespassers move within the shadows of poorly lit areas. An example of areas that should be well-lit is the parking area. It should be considered, though, that bright lights are more expensive, and usually consume more power.

There are a variety of lighting fixtures to choose from when you go to your neighborhood lighting stores. The trick here is to know what to ask the right questions. If you know what to look out for, you'll be sure to get exactly the kind of light fixtures that you need.

StartLocal is an Australian business directory that has hundreds of lighting stores listed Australia wide. Find and recommend your favourite today.

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