Lighting is perhaps the most noticeable electrical application that we tend to think of as a “modern” convenience, yet the technology can hardly be called modern. Consider that if you’re still lighting your Tallahassee Area home or business with incandescent lightbulbs, you’re using 145-year-old technology that evolved from electrical technology developed 221 years ago. While Thomas Alva Edison is credited with inventing the first true incandescent lightbulb in the late 1870s, his invention represents innovations in electric arc lighting, first developed by Humphry Davis in 1802. Even sliced bread, which was invented in 1928, is a newer technological convenience than incandescent lighting.

Whether you want to consider the technology 145 or 221 years old, your incandescent lightbulbs are inefficient, obsolete, and environmentally unfriendly. Thus, the electrical experts at Tallahassee-based Meeks Electrical Services suggest that it’s time for you to exit the dark ages of lighting technology by upgrading your home or business with energy efficient lighting options. Read on to learn more about the benefits of energy-efficient lighting and how to make the switch.

Top-Five Benefits of Switching to Energy-Efficient Lighting

Conserve Energy—while incandescent lightbulbs provide exceptional illumination, they waste tremendous amounts of energy to produce light, as only about 10% of the energy used produces light, while the remaining 90% produces untapped heat. Energy efficient lighting options use 75-90% less energy to create the same amount of light, depending on the option used.

Much Longer Lifespans—energy-efficient lightbulbs keep shining brightly for years and even decades longer than traditional incandescent lightbulbs can.

Save Money—Combined with lower energy costs, the longer lifespans offset the relatively higher purchase cost of energy-efficient lighting options. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average household that converts its lighting to LED can save about $225 in annual energy costs.

Reduced Environmental Impact—according to the United Nations, electrical lighting is responsible for about 15-20% of annual global energy consumption and more than five percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. The global replacement of all incandescent lighting with energy-efficient options would save 939 terawatt hours of electricity per year and reduce about 490 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Enhanced Quality of Light—technologies to produce energy-efficient lighting also create lighting options that enhance light output, color, and tone while reducing lighting problems that cause glare, flickering, uneven tone, and other issues.

Energy-Efficient Lighting Options

Light-Emitting Diode (LEDs)—LED technology has advanced rapidly over the past two decades, making it the most aesthetically pleasing and commercially feasible choice among today’s energy-efficient lighting options. In general, they use 10 times less energy than incandescent lights and last 30 times longer, and their cost has declined significantly with their widespread commercial adoption.

Compact Fluorescent (CFLs)—with more than two decades of commercial use, CFLs are perhaps the most well-known energy-efficient lighting option. They use 35-75% less energy than an equivalent incandescent lightbulb and typically last 8-10 times longer. While CFLs led the drive to convert to energy-efficient lighting, their popularity is rapidly dimming as regulatory agencies push to phase out commercial sales. Several states have begun initiating CFL bans, and the Biden Administration has proposed a rule that would effectively phase out CFL sales by the end of 2024. Along with promoting the greater energy efficiency of LEDs, regulators are pushing the CFL phase-out due to potentially hazardous amounts of trace mercury in CFL lightbulbs.

Consult with Meeks for Your Lighting Needs

Based on the imminent phase-out of CLF lighting options, Meeks Electrical Services advises its Tallahassee-area clients only to consider LED options when replacing incandescent lightbulbs in their homes or businesses. If you’re interested in completely upgrading your home or business with energy-efficient lighting options, a Meeks technician would be glad to consult with you. We have significant experience helping customers configure optimal lighting for their interior spaces and provide numerous lighting installation options as part of our services. For all your Tallahassee-area electrical needs, contact Meeks today at (850) 575-3201.