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Source: Osram Sylvania
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Beginning this month, old-fashioned 40-watt and 60-watt incandescent lightbulbs will no longer be produced under the standards set by Congress in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA).
The law, which requires lightbulbs for home use to become 70 percent more efficient than classic incandescent bulbs, has already forced the phase-out of traditional 100-watt incandescent bulbs in January 2012 and 75-watt bulbs in January 2013.
The Department of Energy estimates that Americans will save $6 billion to $10 billion a year in lighting costs as a result of these new standards. In place of traditional incandescent bulbs, some consumers are turning to LEDs. While they are more expensive than the advanced halogen incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) currently on the market for home use, LED bulbs last much longer and use the least energy.
When shopping for LEDs, look for the Energy Star logo, and use the lighting facts label to compare performance in key areas, including:
LUMENS: Measures light output. The higher the number, the more light emitted. As a rule of thumb, replacing a 150-watt incandescent bulb will require a replacement with 2,600 lumens. Replacing a 100-watt bulb requires 1,600 lumens, replacing a 75-watt bulb requires 1,100 lumens, replacing a 60-watt bulb requires 800 lumens and replacing a 40-watt bulb requires 450 lumens.
LUMENS PER WATT: Measures efficiency. The higher the number, the more efficient the product.
WATTS: Measures the energy required to light the product. The lower the wattage, the less energy used.
COLOR TEMPERATURE: Measures light color. “Cool” colors have higher Kelvin temperatures (3,600–5,500 K); “warm” colors have lower color temperatures (2,700–3,000 K). Color temperatures of 2,700 to 3,600 K are recommended for most general indoor and task lighting.
Visit here for more information on LED.
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