Light Bulb Types & Uses

With a large variety of types of light bulbs available for sale, it can feel overwhelming as to which bulb to choose for which situation. Here is a helpful guide!

LED Bulbs:  LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs produce light when a current is passed through a semiconductor.  With a significantly longer life span than traditional light bulbs, LEDs may operate for up to 100,000 hours (up to 40 times longer than the average bulb).  Not only do these light bulbs save you the hassle of constant replacements, they also can save you money on your electricity bill through their increased energy efficiency, making them an ideal option for everyday home use.  Read more about the advantages of LED lighting here.

Incandescent Bulbs:  By far the oldest category of lighting options, these bulbs tend to be significantly less energy efficient than LED's with less longevity.  However, incandescent lights are inexpensive and emit a warm light of the full spectrum of colors as opposed to other bulbs, which emit only a portion of the spectrum of visible light, making these ideal for outdoor patios and temporary lighting.  Incandescent bulbs emit light when electricity heats a tungsten filament to the point of illumination; this heat causes the filament to evaporate gradually and, over time, soot deposits collect on the inner envelop of the bulb giving it a black appearance the longer it is used.

CFL Bulbs:  CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs require more wattage than their often-compared counterpart the LED bulb.  These bulbs are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and are also more cost effective overall due to their longer life span.  These bulbs are not well suited for outdoor settings, as they need to be shielded well from the elements as CFL's contain small amounts of mercury that can be harmful if released; this particular component also raises environmental concerns in addition to energy use.  CFL bulbs come in a diverse array of shapes, sizes, and brightness and are ideal for use in rooms that require continuous illumination.

Halogen Bulbs:  Halogen bulbs are a type of incandescent bulb in which a halogen, such as iodine or bromide, mixes with the tungsten vapor from the filament and then redeposits the tungsten material back onto the filament, rather than on the inside of the bulb like a regular incandescent bulb.  This prevents the build up of soot on the inner envelop of the bulb that often occurs with incandescent, as well as prolongs the life span, making halogens more cost efficient than their incandescent counter parts.  These high-quality light-emitting bulbs are perfect for use in outdoor settings as well as kitchens or workspaces due to their high light output levels.

Fluorescent Bulbs:  Typical fluorescent bulbs operate the exact same way as CFL's, except, instead of the signature “coil” look of many CFL's, these are available in tubes.  The particular shape of this bulb makes it ideal for commercial and industrial use.  As with CFL's, fluorescent tubes come with the same downside of mercury use.