Lighten up with new bulbs
You might have heard of the new federal regulations that came into effect Jan. 1. Basically, manufacturers can no longer supply 75- and 100-watt incandescent light bulbs to Canadian retailers.
Retailers can sell off any stock they have left, but once that’s gone it is lights out for those bulbs.
Next on the chopping block are 40- and 60-watt incandescent light bulbs, which will no longer be produced come Dec. 31, 2014.
Is this a step in the right direction? Absolutely.
The ban might be a shocker to some homeowners — sales are slightly up for the bulbs since the Jan. 1 regulations came into effect as homeowners stock up — but it’s old news for British Columbians. Their provincial government started to phase out 75- and 100-watt incandescent bulbs back in early 2011. The U.S. has already started to phase out 40- and 60- watt incandescent bulbs this year, and they seem to be doing just fine with the adjustment.
There has been some resistance to the switch — you can find at least half a dozen blogs where people are complaining about paying more to light up and make the switch. But like it or not folks, this is what the industry is moving toward. And it’s not a bad thing.
The phase-out might seem sudden, but it’s been coming down the pipeline for a while now. It was originally scheduled for 2012 but got pushed to 2014 to give manufacturers time to adjust and develop product alternatives.
The result? More options for homeowners interested in saving on their energy bill, better, more innovative products and a drop in price for alternative lighting options, such as compact fluorescents, known as CFLs, and halogen bulbs.
But which ones get my vote? Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, all the way.
Halogen light bulbs are the most like incandescent but they don’t last as long and aren’t as energyefficient as CFLs and LEDs. And CFLs, which contain mercury and can emit ultraviolet radiation, are cheaper than LEDs but they aren’t as safe or as efficient as LEDs. When it’s cold, CFLs take time to warm up and are sometimes too dim. Plus, most CFLs can’t be used on a dimmer, and when they can they don’t work as efficiently. I’ve been using LEDs for years now and in my home, in the homes of the people we help on the show. We also started to use LED work lights on my job sites — my crew loves them. And we even use LEDs to light some sets for the show.
With average use, LEDs can last at least 22 years or 25,000 hours. CFLs last only about 8,000 to 10,000 hours and halogen bulbs a measly 2,500 to 5,000 hours — but they’re still a better choice than incandescent, which last only 1,000 hours.
And when it comes to product innovation, LEDs lead the way.
Most LEDs can be used on dimmers, which use about 20 per cent less energy, so the energy savings are twofold. You can also get LEDs for under-cabinet lighting, which is great for the kitchen and bar.
There are also plug-in, battery-operated LED night lights that are motion-activated. They stay off during the day, detect movement up to 30 feet, have glow modes and last about one year. There are even LED-lit back plates that are mini LED fixtures that live inside the junction boxes of single-gang outlets and light switches. They stay on 24 hours a day but use less than one watt of energy.
I’ve heard of a lot of people complain about how expensive LEDs are. Yes, they cost more to buy, but they pay for themselves. The money you save on energy and not having to buy more bulbs — not to mention the benefits to the environment — don’t compare. When you switch to LEDs you do something good for you, the environment, your home and your wallet in the long run.
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