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LED LIGHTING
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Looking to go green by changing your preexisting lights over
to LED? MyHome is the place to make it happen. Not only do we stock
all of
the latest green lighting innovations in our three showrooms, but
our Green Remodeling Consultants can also help you decide how and
when using LEDs can help you save money and the environment at the
same time. In fact, MyHome can help incorporate an LED-based lighting
system into your kitchen, bath, or complete renovation project—removing
the headache and making it easier for you to reduce your carbon footprint
one light at a time.
Going green with LEDs is all about making smarter choices. So call
us today to find out how you can get on our program, and please peruse
the site to see which options you have available to you.
Why LEDs?
Experts estimate that most American households spend about 22% of
their annual energy bill on lighting, so any environmentally conscious
homeowner should be on the look out for new ways to use less energy—and
save money—with their lighting systems.
By now most of you have heard about Compact Florescent Bulbs (or
CFLS) and how they use 66% less energy and last ten times longer
than standard incandescent bulbs. Chances are fewer of you know about
the revolution in Light-Emitting Diode (or LED) bulbs. LEDs can last
one hundred times longer than incandescent bulbs, are more durable,
energy efficient, and cool to the touch; all of this means they warrant
a serious look for anyone interested in going green as well as saving
money on energy bills.
LEDS aren’t a new technology—they’ve been around
since the 1960s—but usually they’ve been used as one
tiny bulb in electronic devices, penlights, or those strings of Christmas
lighting. However, now manufacturers simply bunch many bulbs together
to form actual bulbs—ranging from standard light bulbs for
your home, to traffic lights, to flashlights.
LEDS are more expensive than incandescent bulbs or even CFLS but
they offer a tremendous potential to the green building movement.
The good news is that LEDs are now available for residential use,
which bodes well for sensor lights or even for the local shop owner
who wants to go green and save a fortune on keeping his signage illuminated.
The Benefits OF LED Lighting
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You’ll Save Money On Electricity |
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You’ll Enjoy Natural Looking
Light That More Closely Mimics Daylight |
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You’ll Use Only 1/30th To 1/3rd
The Energy Of Incandescent And CFL Bulbs Respectively |
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Your LED Bulbs Will Last Up To 60,000
Hours |
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Your LED Bulbs Will Be Warm—Not
Hot—To The Touch, Making Them Safer And More Efficient |
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You Can Safely Illuminate Indoor And
Outdoor Fuse Boxes Without Worrying About Frequently Changing
The Bulb |
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You’ll Be Able To Increase Energy
Efficiency With Economical Dimmer Switches |
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Your LED Light Bulbs Won’t Be
Damaged By Power Surges |
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You Can Use These Durable Bulbs In
Areas Of Heavy Use--No Fragile Filaments Means They Won’t
Break From Shaking And Rattling In Basements Or Garages |
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No UV Light Means You Can Enjoy Bug-Free
Summer Evenings On Your Porch Or Patio (UV Light Attracts Insects) |
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You Won’t Have To Worry About
UV Light Damaging Your Valuable Artwork |
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You Can Eliminate Wasted Light With
Directional Bulbs |
Energy Efficiency
MyHome’s stock of newer household LEDs produce roughly the
same amount of light per watt as CFLs, but they last longer and are
cool to the touch. LED bulbs fit standard lighting fixtures and range
from 0.85 to 7.3 watts. While they’re more expensive than CFLS,
they also last up from 50,000 to 60,000 hours, which translates into
about 12 hours of light per day for 12 years. Add the fact that they
use less energy, and these newer bulbs represent a 90% savings over
standard lighting technology.
Quality Lighting
More of us are so used to the traditional yellow light of old incandescent
bulbs we don’t realize how taxing it can be on our eyesight.
But LEDs’ bright white light is much closer to the color of
daylight and easier on your eyes, especially when used as a desk,
reading or task lamp. The clean white light is also a fantastic mood
lifter in the winter, especially for those suffering from Seasonal
Affective Disorder (or SAD), a condition so common in northern states
in America. Some studies even show whiter, clearer light may help
us stay more alert.
Directional Lighting Options
LEDs are directional, which means the light is aimed along one specific
path. This directional lighting means they’re perfect for reading
lamps or recessed and outdoor lighting. Incandescent bulbs, on the
other hand, illuminate an entire area, wasting electricity and generating
heat. (Hot bulbs mean wasted heat energy.)
It also means LEDs can be used creatively in a variety of designs.
Try installing LED strip lights under kitchen or bathroom counters,
in hallways and staircases, along outdoor banisters, in gardens,
along walkways and in garages and on garage doors.
Outdoor Lighting
LED lights are perfect for outdoor use because they’re so durable
they can’t be damaged by extreme cold or extreme heat and can
be left on each night without burning out quickly. And since they
don’t emit ultraviolet light, they won’t attract bugs.
That means hours of bug-free summer evenings on your porch, patio
or back yard.
Try using LED lights to illuminate your walkway, driveway, and patio.
Since they come in a variety of colors now, LEDs may add just a bit
of flare to your outdoor space.
Illuminate Safety Areas
Because LED’s offer a bright, directed light and need to be
changed so infrequently, they are ideal for lighting an emergency
corridor in your workplace, your home’s garage or beside indoor
and outdoor fuse boxes. In fact, ask our MyHome Green Remodeling
Consultants about using LEDs for your sensor lights and automated
lighting systems to ensure you’re getting the most green and,
ultimately, cost effective system possible.
Office Lighting
Experts say clear, white, directed light helps you see your document
or computer without any strain on your eyes. Over a lifetime of work
incandescent bulbs can cause unneeded stress and strain. When you’re
reading or working at your desk, LED desk and reading lamps are a
perfect solution. Their directed light pattern also means no wasted
light, which promotes maximum energy efficiency. Some models even
have a tiny mirror that further reflects the light in only one direction,
which also makes LEDs a fantastic compromise for bedtime reading—no
more disturbing slumbering spouses!
Contact us today to find out how you set up your entire office with
clean and attractive LED lighting solutions.
Recessed Lighting
Indoor and outdoor recessed lighting is a common design element in
homes across America today. Using these low wattage bulbs are perfect
for recessed lighting as they are not too bright to overpower a room
and work well with dimmers, timers, and home automation systems.
Their ambient soft lighting adds illumination just where you need
it—over, say, a living room sofa or a breakfast nook, and will
save you money in energy bills.
Art-Saving Light
LEDs’ monochromatic light means no harmful ultra-violet or
infrared light or overheating will damage your paintings, furniture
carpets, or expensive oriental rugs. Plus, the white light means
you can see the artists’ colors in their original glory under
the perfect gallery-style glow. In fact, MyHome can even help you
pair the perfect lighting system with the right color schemes and
design choices to make your artwork look more dramatic—we can
even provide an artist for you!
Call us today to match the perfect LED light solution with your green lighting
needs and begin building a greener tomorrow one smart choice at a time.
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