Homeowners are finding the most popular way of lighting their new kitchen or extension is with recessed lighting. That's because recessed lighting has a clean appearance and gives off plenty of light. While it's true that recessed is an excellent choice, the type of recessed lighting you choose is very important. Many people allow their contractors or electricians to select their recessed lighting. However, they usually use builder-grade recessed cans, which use 120-volt bulbs and are very expensive to run, and they don't often choose the best layout for your space.
When you take into account the high cost of energy, it becomes clear that the cost of running recessed lights is more important than the cost of the lights. An excellent choice for most applications is energy-efficient 12-volt low-voltage recessed lights. These provide good quality white light without heat, cost little to run, and use long-lasting bulbs. In addition, they are smaller than traditional recessed lights, making them more attractive.
For adding new recessed lighting, a great combination would be to use American-made low-voltage recessed cans, along with high-quality European 12-volt bulbs. An added benefit of the American-made cans is that there is a 10-year warranty on both the transformer and the socket. In addition, the American-made transformers use a lower voltage compared to builder quality recessed lighting. This combination can save over $1,600 over the life of each bulb, which can last over 14,000 hours. These units give off the best quality white light, and there's no heat under the bulbs. Their smaller size, along with their great light output, make these the best choice for most homeowners.
For existing recessed lighting, there are several ways that you can save energy. The easiest would be to use European 120-volt halogen bulbs, which give off better quality light, last longer, and cut down on heat compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. These bulbs, which cost $10-$13 each, will outlast 3-4 incandescent bulbs and can save over $120 over the life of each bulb.
Another good choice for saving energy with existing recessed lighting is LED lighting. These units, which use the latest technology, easily screw into your existing recessed cans. While the initial cost of approximately $125 per unit may seem expensive, they more than make up for through the money saved on energy costs. These units use only 12 watts of energy, which is just a little more than a night-light, but they give off the same light as a 120-volt incandescent bulb. The LED units are rated for 50,000 hours of use, so based on an average of four hours of use per day, they will last 40 years. At today's energy costs, these units will save over $2,500 in energy costs and over $300 in bulb replacement costs. The units are also airtight, so they won't allow heat to escape through them. This saves even more money on heating costs.
Recently people have been touting compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as a good way to save energy. While it's true that they are great in terms of energy usage, they take a long time to reach their full brightness, and give off a duller light than other bulbs. In addition, homeowners must be aware that these units contain Mercury, so they must be disposed of properly. Still, fluorescent bulbs can be a very good choice in areas where the quality of light isn't as important, like in a basement or laundry room.
Written by Philip Finkelstein.Philip is a Lighting One-certified lighting designer, and has owned Illuminations in Rockville Centre, NY for the past 30 years. To locate the Lighting One showroom nearest you, visit http://www.lighting-one.com/.
As a reader of the Lighting One Design Tips, you have the opportunity to become a member of one of our new partners... the most exciting new social media site for home design!
