6 Blog Posts That Can Save Money on Energy and Lighting in 2018
The new year has brought on resolutions to lose weight, get more organized, and save money. We can’t help you with the first two, but these blog posts can help you save money. Read on to learn DIY skills to install under stair lighting and LED tube lights for yourself along with helpful knowledge for when you’re ready to buy LED bulbs or under cabinet lighting.
When buying incandescent bulbs, Watts was the magic number. Your lamp or fixture told you what wattage bulb to buy and you bought the same wattage replacement when it burned out. LED bulbs work a little differently. How many times have you bought a 60-Watt equal LED or CFL and been disappointed because the bulb either wasn’t as bright or was blinding in comparison? A 60-Watt equal LED bulb may put out between 750 and 875 Lumens and is available in a range of color temperatures that can make CFL or LED bulbs appear brighter and bluer than the bulbs you’re replacing. This blog post details how many Lumens you want for different applications around your home. If you want to keep the look of your incandescents, look for bulbs with the appropriate Lumen output in a 2700 Kelvin color temperature.
Before you spend money replacing your tube lights, this blog post will help you diagnose whether your bulbs are really at the end of their life, or if the external ballast or driver is really the problem. Common Signs It’s Your Ballast and Not Your Bulbs details causes and signs of ballast failure as well as causes of LED driver failure. Not only does it help you diagnose the current problem, it helps you learn how to avoid encountering the same failure causes with your replacements.
When upgrading from fluorescent T8 bulbs to T8 LED bulbs, you have two installation options. You can either find a T8 plug and play or hybrid tube that is rated to work with your existing ballast, or you can bypass the ballast and use a direct wire LED T8. Direct wire T8 bulbs are the most popular because it eliminates the ballast, a weak point, which is more likely to fail before the new LED tubes. Ballasts also require electricity, so bypassing them and using direct wire bulbs provides additional energy savings every month. If you’re comfortable around electricity and have the expertise to install electrical equipment, this blog post tells you how to safely remove the ballast for direct wire installation of LED T8 tubes.
This blog post is a must-read for anyone wanting to install under stair lighting without the help of a professional. It describes two installation options, giving detailed instructions for lighting a single run down the side board or individually lighting the front of each stair. Both installation guides use LED strip lights and offer step by step instructions. (Pun intended.) It explains the importance of maximum run and how to wire the individual lights in parallel.
Edison bulbs are popular with vintage lighting enthusiasts. These antique bulb reproductions are easily one of the most recognizable vintage bulb shapes featuring an oblong glass envelope and nipple at the top. You may have noticed them during the walk of shame on Cutthroat Kitchen or used in kitchen island pendants in HGTV home remodel episodes. Because they are designed to mimic the look of Edison’s first light bulbs, the color temperature and light output are both lower than standard light bulbs today. Read this blog post to find out if Edison bulbs are bright enough for your home or business.
Buying under cabinet lighting can be as easy as purchasing a fixture and plugging it in, but without knowing which technology is best for your needs, you may end up wilting your fresh herbs or blinding yourself from the reflection off the counter tops. This blog post is your guide to under cabinet lighting, sharing tips for picking the right color temperature based on your kitchen. It also covers pros and cons for different installation options including under cabinet fixtures, puck lights, and LED strip lights.
These are just six blog posts available from the lighting experts at 1000Bulbs.com that can give you the knowledge you need to make smart decisions when installing or upgrading the lighting in your home this year. Use the search bar to look for additional guides and tips for lighting each room of your house. If you have a specific question, you can ask it in the comments section below.
