Month: December 2020

From saving you money to saving the planet, here’s 4 reasons why energy saving should definitely be your New Year’s resolution.

December 21, 2020 | Cristina Dinulescu

Working from home can be quite the challenge and an entire summer of remote work has most definitely confirmed this idea. During this time, we’ve managed to rediscover passions, hobbies, and even make plans for different improvements we’d like to make. Surely, staying at home has given us the opportunity to notice our homes’ shortcomings and now it’s time to take action. If you haven’t considered it yet, LED light installation should be at the top of your list, as it can drastically improve your living, working, and learning spaces, bringing them back to life in style.

Over the past six months, you’ve had plenty of time to grow tired of your furniture, windows, and even walls. But redecorating doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. Sometimes, all it takes to bring a fresh look to your home is a coat of paint, new curtains, and a throw rug. However, as far as function and productivity go, they won’t get you far. 

Now that the days are getting shorter and it’s getting dark earlier, lighting becomes even more important. Here are 5 benefits you will enjoy once you switch from incandescent bulbs and fixtures to LED and why LED light installation is, in the end, worth it. 

1. It Will Save You Money

Lowering your energy bill is always a much appreciated payoff of any investment in your home. Why spend hard-earned money on your electric bill when you could be using that money for something else? One simple way to lower your energy consumption and by extension, the energy bill is to start using LED lights. Traditional bulbs use a lot of energy, whereas LED lighting manages to reduce energy consumption by more than 75%. 

Plus, LED produces amazing light, remains cool, and lasts 10 to 20 years, as opposed to incandescents’ two-year average lifespan. So, when switching to a LED light installation, not only are you saving money on your energy bills, but you are also reducing the cost and time required to change the bulbs. And you aren’t making any compromises when it comes to lighting. 

There is also the matter of environmental impact that needs to be considered, especially when thinking of disposal fees. LED lighting has minimal waste and no toxic mercury, therefore a safe solution for the environment. Unlike other lighting options, LED poses no threat to the environment. 

2. LED Lighting Is More Durable 

Another advantage you’ll enjoy when switching to LED lighting is its durability. LED lights in general are at the very top as far as durability is concerned. The incandescent bulb lasts for about 1,000 hours, a fluorescent bulb is even better with  8,000 hours, but none compare with the LED light. These lights can function for as long as 60,000 hours. 

Since the LED light doesn’t have a glass enclosure or a filament, it has proven to be considerably more resistant to heavy impacts or vibrations. 

3. Trend-Setting Styles

Recently LED lighting has become not only the eco-friendly solution or the money-saving solution, but also one of the hottest trends for all purposes. And it’s simple to understand why. The LED semiconductor technology is highly versatile, which gives designers great freedom when it comes to lighting styles. 

You will discover a truly creative diversity, from modern, sleek arrays to retro, vintage options like pendants with Edison bulbs. It’s impossible not to find something that matches your personal style and needs. Here are a few of the options and benefits you get with LED lighting styles: 

• ambient room illumination & mood lighting;
• appealing aesthetics & designs;
• accent lighting for art & architecture;
• task lighting for any workspace;
• shelf, cabinet & niche lighting.

Plus, when choosing LED, you gain access to different color temperatures, which can come in-handy throughout the day, especially when you’re spending more and more time at home. For instance, LED lighting can warm up your space, mimic daylight’s freshness, or even create a sense of welcome. You can even play with the lighting in any room and around the house to highlight different areas or brighten up the space, which sometimes is enough to give you the sense of a home refresh.

4. LED Lighting Is Eco-Friendly

Eco-friendliness is a big advantage. LED is energy-efficient, which reduces the carbon footprint and the greenhouse emissions from power plants. In fact, a single LED bulb can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost half a ton, which is a huge gain. 

Its long life helps reduce landfill waste and it’s mercury-free. This means safe disposal, carrying no threat to the environment. Because a 6-to-8-watt LED bulb has a light output of 800 lumens, you do not require a large number of bulbs, as these do not need to change them very often.

LED bulbs generate less heat, so the associated cooling costs are lower. Even though LED lamps lose around 5 percent of the energy generated to heat, everything else is turned to light. 

5. They Offer More Light

LEDs can emit a surprisingly high level of brightness, producing many more lumens per watt than fluorescent or incandescent bulbs.  So, really, simply looking at wattage is no longer a solid measurement for the lighting level. 

Thus, when making the switch to LED lighting, what you need to do instead is to look at a bulb’s lumen output. A good rule of thumb you should definitely remember is that 1600 lumens equal about the same amount of light as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. This way, you will be able to choose the right bulbs for your lighting needs and benefit from all the LED advantages. 

December 16, 2020 | Cristina Dinulescu

The winter holidays are almost here and you probably already feel the need to deck the halls. Even though decorating your home for Christmas is fun and exciting, you don’t want to get carried away. Safety always comes first, especially when it comes to outdoor Christmas lights. There are plenty of safety measures you can take in order to enjoy the decorating process and the end results worry-free.

Setting the mood for Christmas is most easily done with holiday lighting. However, this is also the most dangerous, as Christmas lights could easily put your entire home at risk.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2012 and 2016, the fire departments had to respond to 170 home fires each year, caused by Christmas trees. 43% of these fires were caused by either lighting equipment or electrical distribution. 

Unfortunately, these tree fires result in an annual average of 15 injuries, $12 million in property damage, and even death. It’s true that outdoor lighting is not usually used to decorate something as combustible as the Christmas tree. However, this doesn’t mean that it can’t still pose a threat if the equipment is damaged or the circuits are overloaded. So when planning your Christmas decorations, here are five safety tips to keep you, well…safe. 

1. Use The Right Outdoor Christmas Lights

Using seven-volt light bulbs is not the best of ideas and you might want to avoid them. It’s true that they are bigger, even brighter, but they also burn much hotter than usual Christmas lights. One of the main causes of Christmas fires is placing big bright bulbs too close to gutters filled with dried-out leaves. 

It is important to check if the strings of lights installed outside have fuses on the lines. These fuses might be located in the actual plug. Additionally, if your string of lights has a blown bulb you need to replace it using one with the same wattage. 

Another thing to check is that the Christmas lights you plan on hanging on the house are indeed meant to be used outdoors. Indoor-rated lights might not withstand the weather conditions and they might break down much faster. You should always choose waterproof lights, and there is a variety of such lights available on the market today. 

Pay attention that the water-resistant lights you choose come with a tag marked Underwriters Lab (UL). This tag lets you know that the lights meet the national industry standards with the American National Standards Institute. It’s not just the Christmas lights that need to be rated for outdoor use, but the extension cords as well. 

In order to be safe, you need to use Christmas electric equipment and lights that have been verified and approved by a reliable testing laboratory like UL or ETL. Check for either one of the logos on the packaging. If you cannot find one of the two logos, it might not be a good idea to use them. 

2. Fasten Your Outdoor Christmas Lights

It is important to fasten your lights to a stable mounting surface when running wires outside. Still, you might want to avoid using nails or staples because wire insulation can be pierced accidentally and this can cause shorts or hard-to-find breaks. 

Plus, a wind-blown wire can have its insulation worn away while rubbing against staples or nails, and this can also increase the chances of a short circuit or fire risk. Instead, you can use plastic light mounting clips or hooks. 

You need to keep your lights and wires clear of electrical service lines that connect to your house when stringing them. Use only outdoor-rated extension cords and make sure the plug unions are protected against moving or getting wet. 

3. Install Them Correctly 

Proper installation is one of the most important steps when it comes to outdoor Christmas lights. It’s not a good idea to tap into your home’s feeder line to power your Christmas lights. Also, don’t hang decorations on it. To secure the Christmas lights, make sure you don’t use nails, metal staples, or tacks. Insulated hooks are a far better option and also, try to avoid stringing your lights tightly. This way you will avoid causing damage from the wind. Avoid installing the lights on outside trees that come into contact with power lines. 

Try not to connect more than three light strings to one extension cord. GFCI-protected outlets should be used outside. And when trying to remove the string of lights, don’t pull the wires. This might cause the wires to break free from the sockets, breaking the bulbs in the process. 

If you have a complex display or lights that cover your entire house and yard, it might be a good idea to resort to professional installation. Get a licensed electrician out there who can help ensure the installation is done correctly and safely.

4. Be Cautious When Hanging The Lights 

Apart from the electrical hazard, outdoor Christmas lights have the added risk of falling when installed on the roof or at certain heights. Make sure you use a good ladder. To be extra safe, you might want to have a second person give a helping hand. 

Unfortunately, this aspect is often overlooked by many when hanging Christmas lights on the house. An average of 5,800 injuries caused by falls occurred during the installation of Christmas lights were registered between 2000 and 2003. 43% of those injuries took place on the ladder and 13% on roofs. 

Set your ladder on stable ground and about one foot away from the wall for every four feet the ladder reaches up. If possible, have someone hold the ladder for you. And most importantly, of course, don’t drink and climb the ladder. 

5. Keep Your Tree Watered

Of course, the best way to prevent a fire is to keep the light strings in good shape and avoid overloading the circuits.

Still, a combination that can prove to be deadly is that between electric lights and a tinder-dry tree. Many people like decorating trees in the yard, the driveway or just in front of the house. Some of these trees can get really dry. According to theU.S. Fire Administration,  each year, 250 Christmas tree fires take place, as well as 14 related deaths. So, make sure your tree is well-watered in case you notice it’s getting dry. 

And remember, the NEC code allows you to keep your Christmas lights up for a limited time of 6 months. This is because of the quality of the cord and sockets. There are specific types of cable that are allowed to be installed as a more permanent lighting. This is usually found in a festoon lighting.

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