Choosing the Best Light Bulbs for your Condo

When it comes to upgrades that make your condo look great, many people ignore their light bulbs. Light bulbs aren't something that you usually think about. However, having good lighting in your condo is important. Not only does it make it easier to see, but good lighting simply makes your condo look and feel nicer, more inviting and more welcoming.

Plus, it will make you and your friends (and your food!) look better in your next Instagram photo. :)

When it comes to choosing the right light bulbs for your condo, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. One important point to remember is that different lights and different light sources produce different light. Not all lighting is created equal. Think of the fluorescent lights in your office and compare them to the lighting in your favourite restaurant. Both types of light bulbs provide light, but they look very different and create very different moods.

Colour Temperature

One reason why is colour temperature. This is typically measured in Kelvin (and expressed as a number followed by the letter "K.") Lower numbers are more orange, higher numbers are more blue. Most old style incandescent bulbs are between 2700 K and 3300 K. This is often called "soft" or "warm" lighting. This colour temperature is often used in homes because it's warm and comfortable.

A room can look very different under different colour temperatures.

When it comes to choosing light bulbs, think about the type of "mood" you want to set in the room. For a more relaxing, warmer light (such as in a bedroom or dining room, for example) you may want to have warmer bulbs. However, in a home office, you might want cooler lighting.

Lumens

Another point to keep in mind is lumens. A lumen is a measurement of how much visible light is given off by a particular source. In older incandescent lighting, the number of watts used by the bulb was roughly equivalent to the amount of light provided by the bulb. However, new and more energy-efficient types of lighting (such as CFLs and LEDs) are able to use less watts while still producing the same amount of light. So while a 60-watt incandescent bulb may give off about 800 lumens, a CFL is able to produce the same number of lumens while using only 13 watts and an LED will use only 9 watts.

With lumens, basically what you need to know is the higher the number, the more light the bulb will provide. In rooms where you want more light, go with higher lumens, If you only want a small amount of light, look for lower lumens.

Lighting Type

There are a lot of different types of light bulbs. First of all, there is the type of lighting technology used. For homes, the most common choices are incandescent lights, halogen bulbs, fluorescent or CFL lights and LED lights. Out of these options, LEDs are the most energy efficient and the newest technology. In many regions, many types of incandescent bulbs are no longer available. Certain specialty fixtures use specific bulbs such as fluorescent tubes or halogen capsules. Before you by new bulbs, check out the fixture you have and see what type of bulb it takes.

There are many different bulb shapes. The most common is the A19 . These are what many consider to be the "standard" light bulb and you'll find these bulbs and fixtures in many homes and condos. However, condos often have other types of lighting as well, including spotlights, floods , candelabra bulbs , MR bulbs and even fluorescent tubes . There are LED alternatives for most of these types of lights. Check out our LED light bulbs page for more information.

Converting to LED Bulbs

LED bulbs are more energy-efficient and they last significantly longer than incandescent bulbs. While it used to be tough to find LEDs for typical home and condo applications, this market is growing quickly. You can now find LEDs in a variety of different shapes, types and even different colour temperatures. Many modern LEDs are even dimmable. LED lighting can make your condo look great.

One potential downside to LEDs is that they cost more upfront than older bulb technologies. However, they pay for themselves over time through lower electricity costs and due to their long lifespan. Many bulbs in condos are difficult to reach and replace, so switching to LEDs can save you the hassle of climbing up and changing your bulbs every few months. LED bulbs are designed to fit in a variety of different sockets and fixtures. You may not be able to switch all of your bulbs if you have certain types of fixtures, but there are now good LED alternatives to many different types of bulbs.

You'll be surprised at how much the right lighting can improve the appearance of your condo. Your place will look better and you'll feel better when you're not struggling to see in dim lighting or shielding your eyes from bulbs that are too bright. For more information on condo lighting and details on how we can deliver light bulbs to your Toronto condo, please contact us today .