Light bulbs are a small yet powerful tool in our everyday lives which have become so dominated by electricity. As our dependence on electricity grows, we continue to look for better, smarter ways to save money on electric bills and reduce our carbon footprint. But with all this new technology and all these fancy bulbs on the market, how can you decide on the perfect energy efficient light bulb?
There are many things to consider when purchasing an energy efficient bulb, and emergency lights. The right bulb may vary depending on its specific use. It is important to understand the different types of bulbs and their differences, as well as the properties of light bulbs in general, in order to make an informed decision.
First you need to consider the light fixture in which the bulb is being installed. Light bulbs vary in shape from your standard bulb shape to the more energy-efficient spiral shape. For lamps that leave the bulb exposed, you would normally want to use an aesthetically pleasing bulb shape, but some bulbs can help you avoid the compromise. For instance, Viva offers several low-profile spiral bulbs that won’t stick out of your lamp. It is also important not to buy a light bulb whose wattage exceeds the maximum allowed by the fixture. Otherwise you are looking at a major fire hazard.
Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, tend to have the lowest wattage, averaging less than 20W. The standard incandescent bulbs to which we are accustomed are about half the cost of LEDs, but with double, triple, or even quadruple the wattage, and a lifespan tens of thousands of hours less, you are not choosing a very efficient bulb. Compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs can be a good compromise because they have relatively low wattage, cost less than cheaper than LEDs, and can last about 10,000 hours. The one drawback is the pesky mercury that prohibits you from throwing them in the garbage.
Next you should think about the room where the light bulb is going to be. If it is the kitchen or bathroom, where the best lighting is required for all your cooking and pampering, you want a light that is extremely bright. An important number to look out for is the lumen, which is the actual brightness of the light output by the bulb, as opposed to the watts which just describe the energy. A bulb with greater lumen is not only brighter but also more energy efficient. An 1100 lumen Viva light bulb, for instance, can replace a 75W incandescent bulb at a fourth the wattage.
You also want a light similar to natural light. All light bulbs are categorized by “color temperature.” Bulbs with lower color temperatures have more yellowish hues, while bulbs with a higher temperature are more bluish or white, like daylight. Incandescent bulbs are normally in the lower temperature range, which is way you would want to consider LEDs or CFLs. Bulbs are also categorized by color rendering index, or CRI, which indicates (from 1-100) how well a bulb replicates natural light. Even with energy-efficient spiral bulbs, you can still get a high CRI. Most energy-efficient Viva light bulbs, for example, have CRI ratings in the 80s.
No bulb is perfect, but LEDs and CFLs are leading the way in efficiency. CFLs are an excellent choice when you want the efficiency of an LED for the price of an incandescent. With the high CRI and low-profile of Viva CFLs, you don’t need to compromise on quality or style.