With so many different types of lights available, how do you choose which ones should go in your new home?
There are numerous lighting technologies available on the market. These include Incandescent, Halogen and Compact Fluorescent (CFL) and LED Lighting. LED lighting (light emitting diode) has grown in popularity and affordability over the last few years, making it a more accessible option for home owners.
But why are LED lights better?
Put simply, LED lights can last up to 10 x longer than traditional incandescent lighting, which means you won't need to replace them anywhere near as often as traditional globes.
They do this by emitting light in a specific direction, reducing the need for reflectors and diffusers that can trap light. Additionally, they are much more energy efficient, using up to 85% less energy than an incandescent or halogen lights. You can read more about LED lighting here.
When reviewing lighting options, other terms you may come across include Watts, Lumens and Colour Temperature.
Watts
Watts relate to the amount of power the light uses, and while this was historically important, LED lights are already energy efficient. A more accurate measure of light efficiency is Lumens, as quality light fittings can generate a higher Lumen rating with lower power consumption opposed to an equivalent low-quality fitting.
Lumens
Lumens relates to the amount of light that is transmitted by the LED light fitting. The higher the Lumen rating, the brighter the light it produces.
Colour temperature
Colour temperature relates to the colour of the light transmitted. Represented as a Kelvin (K) rating, the lower the number is, the more yellow will be presented in the light. Comparatively, the higher the number, the whiter a light will present.
Common colours and relevant ratings are as below:
- Warm White - approx 3000K
- Cool White - approx 4000K
- Daylight - 5000-6000K
Long term, LED lights work out to be a greater investment for your new home than regular light fittings.
