Phasing Out Your Old Incandescent Bulbs

While older incandescent bulbs might be cheaper at the moment of purchase, their energy use and short lifespan are reason enough for most homeowners to stop using them. The alternatives then become LED and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), both of which out-perform incandescent lights in these areas. However, there are some areas where they simply don't measure up, such as in aesthetics and variety. As such, it's a good idea to figure out where allowances might need to be made in order to retain your decor while still using better bulbs.

Updating Fixtures

Needless to say, not every lighting fixture is ideal for every style of LED or CFL bulb on the market. This is especially true of vanity style fixtures, or those that were designed for globe style bulbs. While both LED and CFL bulbs do come in decor style bulbs, they are often white or frosted, which may not suit your design ideas. Since these styles of bulb are often found in bathrooms rather than living spaces or bedrooms you do have some options.

Depending on the frequency of use that a particular bathroom sees it's entirely reasonable to simply do nothing and spend a little extra on the energy used to light a guest bathroom. However, rather than using a fixture that prominently displays a bulb as decor you can get a much cleaner and more modern look by utilizing sconce style fixtures. This recessed approach hides the bulb itself without greatly diminishing the amount of light it casts on the room.

Choosing Between Them

In most cases, replacing incandescent bulbs with newer bulb types is simply a matter of finding one that fits the space. However, there are some factors to keep in mind as you decide between LED and CFL bulbs, especially if you're having a hard time choosing a particular style. This has to do specifically with energy efficiency, price and longevity, which are the areas where these two types of bulbs differ the most.

By far, LED bulbs are the most expensive to purchase, in virtually any situation or design scenario. This added cost does confer a number of benefits though, including energy savings of 70% or more, and more than 25,000 hours of use. CFL bulbs stack up nicely, but they're more appropriate for lower traffic areas because of their shorter lifespan and slightly lower energy savings.

When it comes to phasing out old technology, there is often a lot that you need to consider. This is made all the more difficult if you have more than one option to choose from for a replacement. Get the facts, compare CFL and LED penny for penny, and choose the one that's right for you and the space you're lighting. 

For more information, contact a professional like Pacific Lamp Wholesale Inc.