Here’s the latest and greatest on lighting news and advice!
When Shopping for Lighting, it Pays to Think Outside of the Big Box
Because lighting style is such an individual choice, the decision of where to purchase lighting and whether to involve a designer are very important.
When you walk into a ‘big box’ retail store, you should come prepared with a realistic idea of the product selection, quality and service that you’re likely to receive. Big box stores have a reputation for offering low prices, but the value they deliver is not always so clear-cut.
Compared to specialty lighting stores, large chain retailers offer products from a narrower range of manufacturers, often at pre-determined price points that may not match your style and budget. In most cases, your product options will be limited to the display products on the wall. Lighting departments are often staffed by employees from other retail departments-not designers-so your ability to get an in-depth answers to tough lighting questions may be limited at a big box store.
There are so many possibilities when it comes to lighting and unless you consult a designer, you may not think of all the possible options.
Hi. I’m Jennifer Guerriero. My goal with this site is to show you what The Light Center is all about. Come in and see what we mean when we say “Bright Solutions. Trusted Service.”
HOW TO: Dispose of a CFL Bulb
• Enclose unbroken CFL bulb in a sealed plastic bag to reduce the risk of bulb breakage.
• If a CFL bulb breaks, your greatest risk is being cut from the glass rather than exposure to the mercury. To minimize risk even further, follow this procedure:
1. open windows to ventilate;
2. sweep up all fragments—don’t vacuum;
3. wipe the area with a damp paper towel;
4. put fragments and towel in a plastic bag and seal; and
• Drop off at The Light Center or another participating Fort Collins CFL Recycling Program Retailer.
HOW TO: Create a more energy-efficient home
Here are some helpful tips to create an energy-efficient home:
· Install timers and sensors. You can install timers and sensors that turn the lights on at dusk and shut them off after a specific time. Not only does this save energy, it can go a long way toward making your home a less appealing target for would-be intruders.
· Go green! Replacing four 60-watt incandescent bulbs with 13-watt fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) that use about two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer saves $190 over the life of the bulbs. If all our nation’s households did the same, we would save as much energy as is consumed by some 38 million cars in one year.
· Install dimmers on incandescent light bulbs. Dimming your lights just 25% saves 20% in energy.
· Install ceiling fans. Save energy by using a ceiling fan to cool down rather than the air conditioning.
By sticking to these simple tips, you’ll be able to save money and energy this summer.
QA: Convert Recessed Can to Pendant
Question: I’m doing a kitchen update and want to use pendant lighting instead of the 6” recessed cans I currently have, but I don’t want the pain of pulling the cans out of the ceiling plus doing a bunch of drywall work. Is there a way to convert a recessed can to a pendant?
Answer: You can convert your existing recessed can light to a pendant by using a product called The Can Converter. This product adapts almost any recessed light fixture or can light to work with other types of light fixtures. You can modify can lights to hang a ceiling fan, ceiling light, light canopy, swag light, pendant light or just about any other type of light fixture in minutes. No patch work is required.
QA: Are dimmers a viable option and can I install them?
Question: I want to make my home more energy efficient on a small budget of a couple hundred dollars. Are dimmers a viable option for me and can I install them myself?
Answer: Dimmers are a great way to save energy with a minimal investment and are easy to install. If every US household installed only ONE more dimmer, we would reduce carbon monoxide emissions equivalent to that of 370,000 cars. Basic dimmers start at $14.99 and remote control dimmer combos start at $49.99.
To install,
1. Turn power off at circuit breaker
2. Remove wall plate and switch mounting screws
3. Pull switch from wall and disconnect switch wires
4. Connect the wires in the box and dimmer by matching colors
5. Use wire connectors to secure the electrical connection. Twist wire connector tight and ensure no bare wire is exposed
6. mount and align dimmer
7. Install wall plate
8. Turn power on at circuit breaker
9. Enjoy energy savings
What Does Lighting One Mean To You?
Have you seen this Lighting One logo on our advertising and wondered what it meant to you? Lighting One is the largest independent lighting showroom network in the United States and also the most powerful buying group in the lighting industry. According to the June 2nd issue of Home Furnishing News Magazine, Lighting One has once again made the Top 10 Lighting Retailers list.
As part of this large buying group, we are able to pass on savings without sacrificing quality. As the only Lighting One member in Northern Colorado, we offer unique products exclusive to Lighting One. The Select Line is only available in showrooms and cannot be purchased online.
Lighting One also offers sales and product training and marketing materials that helps keep our costs lower and thus our prices.
Energy Saving Rebates through Platte River Power Authority’s LIGHTEN UP program: Case Study MUGS Coffeeshop
Cash incentives are available for changing your workplace lighting to energy-efficient lighting for Platte River Power Authority’s customers. PRPA’s LIGHTEN UP program and The Light Center recently helped local coffee shop MUGS change out their bulbs and earn an $84 rebate.
The new bulbs save MUGS 1883 watts of energy. In addition, the bulbs are on 19 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks/year which translates to savings of $884 per year on their energy bill. MUGS is a trailblazer restaurant in the FortZED initiative to lower energy consumption for restaurants.
How does the program work? We come to your location and do a free energy audit which will show your energy savings, dollar savings and possible rebate amount. We will make recommendations on where to save based on the ambience and function so that your nice atmosphere is not sacrificed for poor lighting. The final step is we change your bulbs, and you start saving!
Interested in learning how much your workplace can save with the LIGHTEN UP program? Contact Jennifer Guerriero at (970) 226-3430x207 or email Jennifer@lightcenterinc.com for more information.
