Choosing The Right Light Bulb For Your West Knoxville Home

Choosing the right light bulb for your West Knoxville home isn’t quite what it used to be.  In a day and age each bulb seems to boast its new technology, choosing the right light bulb for your West Knoxville home can be altogether confusing. Some bulbs save energy, emit different amounts of light, or emit different colors, so it can be difficult to know what will work in your West Knoxville home. Here are a few tips to determining what types of light bulbs your West Knoxville home needs.

First and foremost, it is important to choose the right wattage. Know each fixtures maximum wattage and be sure to use a bulb within that range. Wattage is the amount of power a light bulb consumes, not the amount of light that it admits. Bulbs with too much wattage for the fixture can be dangerous and can potentially cause fires.

Next, read the front label to learn more about the efficiency rating. Over the past few years, light bulb manufacturers have been required the lumens in each bulb, or how bright the light bulb is, instead of the wattage.  Each package now includes “Lighting Facts” which outline the brightness, energy cost, life expectancy, and light appearance.

Finally, determine the type of light bulb that meets your needs. Keep in mind the type of light bulbs you use for each room in your West Knoxville home can vary. Here is a rundown of the different types of light bulbs that are available:

• Incandescent bulbs are the original type of light bulbs invented by Thomas Edison. These bulbs are low cost and are the most common type of bulbs used today. These are not the most energy efficient light bulbs to light your West Knoxville home with, but they are good at creating ambient lighting and lighting large areas.
• Halogen bulbs produce bright, white light similar to the light admitted by the midday sun. Halogen bulbs have a long life and are usually small in size.  Halogen lights do require some caution, as their light bulbs burn at a higher temperature.
• Fluorescent bulbs use 20%-40% less electricity than incandescent bulbs and have a much longer life span of up to 20 times longer. Fluorescent bulbs can be used in place of incandescent bulbs, it is important to just make sure that you pick a bulb that fits in the socket. Florescent bulbs can work with dimmers, just make sure you pick light bulbs labeled “dimmable.” Since they contain mercury, it is important that you dispose of them properly.

Choosing the right light bulb for your West Knoxville home can involve a little research, but, new light bulbs, while more expensive, can offer energy savings and longer life span.