The End is Near for Incandescent Bulbs
That’s right! The most iconic symbol for light bulbs is slowly being phased out by new government regulations. Don’t worry there are more efficient bulbs that look similar, for those that don’t find the new “swirly” compact fluorescents lamps visually attractive. The chart below shows the phase out schedule for the various wattages for incandescent bulbs.
| Wattage | Lumen Ranges | Max Wattage | Lifetime | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1490-2600 | 72 | 1000 hrs. | 1/1/2012 |
| 75 | 1050-1489 | 53 | 1000 hrs. | 1/1/2013 |
| 60 | 750-1049 | 43 | 1000 hrs. | 1/1/2014 |
| 40 | 310-749 | 29 | 1000 hrs. | 1/1/2014 |
What are my options?
Halogen Incandescent – This type of bulb resembles the style and light output of a standard incandescent with lower energy consumption compliant with the new regulations. A standard 60w incandescent is replaced by a 43w halogen with a typical life span of 1,000 to 3,000 hours.
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) – The most commonly used incandescent replacement is the CFL. They also come in styles that resemble incandescent bulbs. A standard 60w incandescent is replaced by a 13w CFL with a typical life span of 8,000 to 10,000 hours.
LED –The newest technology of the three lighting choices are LED’s. As with all new technology the pricing starts off very high which is one of the very few negative points of LED’s. As the price drops, LED’s will be the wave of the future. A standard 60w incandescent is replaced by a 11w LED with a typical life span of 25,000 hours.
There are even new LED replacement options for fluorescent fixtures that can dramatically lower your facility’s lighting costs while providing enhanced lighting and color temperature options.
