Shedding new light

Topic Summary  By 2012, legislation is requiring that many types of incandescent bulbs no longer be sold the U.S. By 2014 most incandescent bulbs will be discontinued, mandating consumers to look for more energy efficient options. If you're thinking about simply driving to Canada to buy old-fashioned bulbs, forget it. Canada is banning the bulbs too!

As part of the energy saving bills that Congress approved four years ago, traditional 100 watt light bulbs are going to be phased out come this December 31. Next up the 60 and 40 watt version will be eliminated from store shelves in 2014.  By Jan. 1, 2014, the only incandescents left on the market will be three-way bulbs, plant lights and appliance lamps.

Going Forward!

LEDs have been hailed as the "next big thing" in lighting by designers, and now they're finally beginning to catch on with homeowners, thanks to their very impressive energy efficiency statistics and much improved aesthetics. Around the holiday season you may have seen decorations that seem brighter and wondered why. The answer: LEDs. Light Emitting Diodes have been around for years. They were first seen in hand-held calculators, cheap watches and appliances.

Benefits of LED light bulbs
 
Long-lasting - LED bulbs last up to 10 times as long as compact fluorescent, and far longer than typical incandescent.

Durable - since LED's do not have a filament, they are not damaged under circumstances when a regular incandescent bulb would be broken. Because they are solid, LED bulbs hold up well to jarring and bumping.

Cool - these bulbs do not cause heat build-up; LEDs produce 3.4 btu's/hour, compared to 85 for incandescent bulbs. This also cuts down on air conditioning costs in the home.

Mercury-free - no mercury is used in the manufacturing of LED's.

More efficient - LED light bulbs use only 2-10 watts of electricity (1/3rd to 1/30th of Incandescent or CFL) Small LED flashlight bulbs will extend battery life 10 to 15 times longer than with incandescent bulbs. Also, because these bulbs last for years, energy is saved in maintenance and replacement costs. Many cities are replacing their regular traffic lights with LED arrays because the electricity costs can be reduced by 80%.
 

Bottom Line:  Like the rush of Compact Florescent Bulbs, the initial cost of  LED bulbs are  higher but the longevity and cost savings of usage are fantastic. Putting the cart before the horse, Home Depot has made a huge commitment to the availability of LEDs and their involvement has a ripple effect throughout the industry driving costs down  and innovations up.

The next time you are renovating any room, the option for LED lighting will come up for sure. The next time you notice a brighter traffic light, you will know the reasons!