On December 16th, Congress passed a new spending bill that contained a provision that would block the Department of Energy (DOE) from enforcing new energy-efficient standards for certain types of light bulbs.  As you might recall, the "incandescent bulb phase-out" stems from the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007).  A section of this Act has adopted the title of "Incandescent ban" over the last few years, except it is not really a ban at all.  It simply states that certain classes of lamps will be phased-out to meet new energy efficiency standards mandated by law.  We have outlined the new standards in our Learning Section, if you need a refresher.

The passing of this bill has caused a lot of confusion regarding the phase-out.  The truth is, the 100 watt incandescent will still begin it's scheduled phase-out starting January 2012. The EISA of 2007 efficiency standards have not been repealed and are still the law.  The only effect that the bill has on the DOE is that they do not have funding to enforce the law until October 2012.   

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It's that time of year again. Yes, time for many of us to begin decorating for the holidays (if you haven't started already).  If your last name is Griswold, please pay attention.  If not, still pay attention, as it is very important to take your lighting seriously this holiday season. According to the National Fire Protection Association, thirty per cent of all home fires occur during December, January and February.  In addition, nearly 6,000 people a year are treated in hospital emergency rooms for falls associated with holiday decorations. More than half of these injuries involve falls from ladders or roofs while decorating outdoors. We could tell you about all the injuries, but instead, here are some of the most common holiday decoration and lighting tips to keep you safe!

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When shopping around for LED bulbs, it doesn’t take long to run into huge variances in price, wattage, and guarantees. Lots of people ask about the differences between them. The fact is, while the number of high-quality and high performance LED products is increasing every day, there are quite a few products out there that just aren’t built to perform or to last. 

In terms of technology, an LED bulb shares a lot more in common with a consumer electronics device than it does with a typical filament based light bulb. You wouldn’t have the same expectations of a $30 camera as you would a $300 camera, and that’s a good mindset to have when looking for an LED bulb as well. There are a number of components that are critical to a viable LED lighting product, and any bulb is only as good as its weakest link.

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