Changing a light bulb is surely the single DIY task that we can all manage, but the vast choice of light bulb available to us may leave some of us scratching our heads.
We’ve created this handy guide through the different light bulbs available and how to choose the right one for you. Plus, we’ve got a great top tip on how to change the bulb that you may never have thought of, but could save you lots of time and effort in the future!
1. Choosing The Right Light Bulb.
There are 4 different types of artificial light, all offering different benefits.
Incandescent lights are the light bulbs we’re probably most familiar with, and have been popular in the home for years. The traditional incandescent light bulb was phased out and completely off the market by 2011, so most of our household bulbs will likely be the more energy efficient and greener Halogen bulb. The Incandescent bulb is still used for spotlights/reflector lamps.
Halogen spotlights save 30% more energy than incandescent bulbs. They’re dimmable and have a built in reflector, which produces a narrow beam of light. They have a colour rendering index of 100%, which means that the light they emit shows true colour and texture. New generation halogen lights last twice as long as a standard incandescent bulb and as they’re more efficient, the wattage of the bulb can be reduced to achieve the same light levels.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are revolutionizing home lighting, due to their energy efficiency and low heat output. LED’s cost a little more than a halogen bulb as they last between 50,000 – 100,000 hours, making them a popular choice for tradesmen and consumers alike.
Fluorescent lights may conjure an image of flickering lights found in schools and offices, but the new generation have a warmer, softer light quality. They do still however take a moment to reach full light. A standard compact fluorescent lamp will not work on a dimmer circuit so you’ll need dimmable Spiral CFL to use with a dimmer switch. Energy Saving Bulbs are often Fluorescent. You’ll likely find these in your bathroom or kitchen as they’re ideal for functional rooms that require lots of light.
2.Choose The Right Cap Fitting.
Once you know the type of light bulb you want, you have to consider which cap fitting will work with your lamp or light appliance. There are 3 standard fittings, which can come in different sizing:
Bayonet – this is the type that has the familiar push & twist action. This comes in both large & small sizes
Screw – also known as ES or SES which stands for Edison Screw or Small Edison Screw
GU – This stands for General Use and can come in styles GU10 or GU5.3. The GU10 has 2 large T shaped pins, the GU4.3 has straight pins. The GU5.3 gives around 40% more light output for the same energy consumption as the GU10.
Outside of these classifications certain appliances can require specialist cap fittings such as the G9, or the G4. The best option is to remove the dead bulb and look at the fitting against pictures online.
3. Choosing The Right Brightness Level.
You would traditionally be looking at the wattage to determine the brightness of a light bulb but you should in fact be referring to the ‘Lumens (Lms)’ which is the measure of the brightness level a bulb produces. All new ‘energy efficient’ bulbs means that less energy (wattage) is required to provide an equivalent light level. A simple guide is here:
Traditional 60W lightbulb achieves 600Lm.
600 Lm can be achieved with a 42w Halogen Light, a 15w CFL, or a 10w LED
4. And Finally, How To Change A Light Bulb?
Our Electrician expert gives you his top tip for changing a light bulb, making sure that you don’t have any difficulty in the future replacing your bulbs!