Everyone who wants to save money and reduce energy consumption should inspect their home since many houses have old light fixtures which are in dire need of updating. However, many ask about when the best time to upgrade lights is. Actually, lighting needs to be brought up to date whenever something new is out and even if you have a newer home or one that meets the present day building code standards, you should still examine everything.
If you are still using incandescent lighting, you are wasting money. All of your old bulbs should be replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs. You see, the problem with incandescent bulbs is that most of the energy is heat, not light, and that’s why they are hot when you go to replace them.
CFL give off the same light, with less wattage than a regular bulb. While you are replacing them, you should be looking at the fixture itself. If they are old, or cracking or if they sound like their shorting out when you turn on a light, you should replace the whole fixture. Not only is it wasting money, chances are if it’s making sounds, there may be a short somewhere, which could cause a fire.
All fluorescent lights need a ballast to operate. The ballast alters the electrical current and makes the gas activate inside the tube. In the old ballasts, which were of a magnetic mechanism, you would get a buzz, and possible flickering of the bulbs. This old system was not only noisy, but are also way less efficient, because of the moving parts. New CFL have electronic ballasts built inn eliminating buzz and wavering lights.
You should upgrade you lighting if you are still using incandescent lights and fixtures, or have the old ballast style fluorescent. You should have a professional come in and do an assessment, they can tell you exactly what you need. In many communities there are energy assistance programs that can help pay for these replacement costs. You should check with you local agencies for more information.
So when should you upgrade your lights? You should replace and upgrade you lights as new technologies are developed. While you may not afford to every time something new comes out, it is always a good idea to keep up on new developments, and see how you can use this to your advantage.
If you think it will be too expensive to replace everything then just start off with small things like replacing incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs. These are more expensive to purchase, but you will soon feel the savings when it comes time to pay the electric bill.
There is a lot of information you can read to educate yourself and keep up with the latest technology. There are several places in your community and on the internet to do this. You can learn the terminology and also different types of bulbs such as CFL’s and also LED lights.
If you are interested in viewing some fluorescent lighting products, consider visiting this website which offers lots of under cabinet lighting options.
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