Whether you are building a new home, adding an addition to your home that involves installing new lighting, or just replacing old lights, light bulbs come in several options to choose from and this can be overwhelming.

Types of Light Bulbs

There are a lot of types of bulbs that you can choose from when adding lighting to your home, but there are three most popular. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks.

You will want to choose bulbs that support the ambiance of your home.

Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

Light-emitting diodes, LEDs, are the longest-lasting bulbs out there right now. They can last more than 20 years!

LEDs tend to give off a soft, cool light. They are designed to fit standard sockets, and most are energy efficient, making them a safe option. They also don’t contain mercury.

Amazingly, LEDs have a lower wattage amount, but they produce the same light output as other types of bulbs while consuming as much as 75% less energy than regular bulbs.

Any heat produced by the electrical current is absorbed into a heat sink, which keeps the bulbs cool. Heat isn’t being emitted into your home by the bulbs, so you can save on air conditioning costs.

So, what’s the drawback? The cost. LEDs are more expensive than other types of bulbs, usually because of how wonderful they are.

Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs)

These are spiral bulbs. They are slightly less energy efficient than LEDs, but they are cheaper. Additionally, they usually have a shorter lifespan than LEDs.

Incandescent Bulbs

Regular incandescent bulbs produce a warm, yellow light. They usually don’t last very long lifetime-wise and aren’t very energy efficient. However, because of these things, they are the cheapest types of bulbs.

In the long run, investing in good quality, longer-lasting bulbs can be the better option.

Typical Lighting Hues For Different Rooms

The type of lighting utilized in each room directly impacts the atmosphere of the room. You want to combine the right light and bulbs to give the most flattering and useful results for what you are going for.

The color appearance of bulbs is measured on the Kelvin scale. Bulbs that have a lower kelvin number are more yellow in hue compared to high kelvin numbers that are whiter or bluer in hue.

2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin

Lights that are 2,700 to 3,000 kelvin are considered “soft white.” Standard incandescent bulbs are usually this color, and they are good for bedrooms, living rooms, and dens.

3,000 to 4,000 Kelvin

Bulbs that are 3,000 to 4,000 kelvin are considered “warm white” in hue. These lights are good for kitchens, workspaces, and bathrooms.

4,000 to 5,000 Kelvin

Lights that are 4,000 to 5,000 kelvin are considered “bright white.” They are great for kitchens and bathrooms as well. It just depends on what appearance you want within the bathroom or other room.

5,000 to 6,500 Kelvin

Bulbs that are 5,000 to 6,500 or more kelvin are considered to be “day bright.” These lights work really well for reading because it creates a bright light, but it’s also easy on your eyes.

Lighting Brightness For Different Rooms

Highly lit areas should have bulbs with higher lumen numbers. Lumens measure the total amount of visual light from the light source.

Living Rooms

Living rooms and dens should have lighting that is 1,500 to 3,000 lumens.

Kitchens

Lighting should be anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 lumens.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms should have lighting that has 4,000 to 8,000 lumens.

Dining Rooms and Offices

This area should have lighting that consists of 3,000 to 6,000 lumens.

Bedrooms

Lighting should be lower in lumens, like 2,000 to 4,000 lumens for this area.

I Want Advice on Which Light Bulbs to Use in My Home

Whether you are remodeling a home and replacing lighting or building a new home and adding lighting, we would be thrilled to assist you with any questions or installation duties you may have for us.

Fusion Electric serves those in all residential and commercial electrical services throughout the Overland Park and Kansas City Metro area.

Let our qualified electricians at Fusion Electric light up your indoors for the perfect ambiance throughout every room in your household. Contact Fusion Electric today to discuss the installation of light bulbs in your home!