About Lighting Blog

Were you aware that there is a time change coming in the very near future.  Fall back one hour.  That means the daylight is somewhere in between darkness and even darker darkness and then we will have more darkness that daylight for awhile.  That might indicate that it is time for more lights inside and possibly more outside lights.  The best suggestion that I have it to make the lights that you add to your domicile is to make them colorful and beautiful.  There are many styles from which to choose.  For instance there is a Tiffany, oblong ceiling light that, of course, provides much more light that the single fixture and adds color and beauty as well. 

Isn’t it wonderful that we do not have to revolve our existence around daylight hours?  Since the discovery of fire which was the only artificial type of light for thousands of years, life was much like the birds and animals that hunted during the day, or the night.  Even modern history does not have electricity until the beginning of the twentieth century.  That seems so phenomenal that there was a potential for electricity for all of the years prior to invention, but it has only been around about 100 years.  Plus light, we may obtain it with all kinds of color and aesthetically pleasing designs, in table, ceiling and floor lamps .

A lampshade is a fixture that covers the lightbulb on a lamp to diffuse the light it emits. Conical, cylindrical and other forms on floor-, desk- or table top-mounted as well as suspended lamp models are the most common and are made in a wide range of materials. The term can also apply to the glass hung under many designs of table lamps. Beyond its practical purpose, significant emphasis is also usually given to decorative and aesthetic features.

Friedrich Albert Winsor first had the idea of industrialising lighting by producing gas in a factory and distributing it through a pipeline. In the first decades of the 19th century, competing gas companies laid the first gas mains in major cities. But there were fears of explosion and intoxication.

The flame fed by the gas coming out of the nozzle was intense, uniform and adjustable, white and brilliant instead of reddish or orange, like with oil lamps or candles.

The drawbacks of gas lighting were overheating of the air and extremely high oxygen consumption, making it necessary to ventilate the room or isolate the flame by separating the room where the combustion took place from the room being lit. Theatre audiences regularly suffered from headaches and the sulphur and ammonia formed during combustion of the gas ruined furniture.

Gas light had to be filtered by opal glass or light fabric shades. Lampshades were no longer used to direct the light but to attenuate it.

In 1879, Joseph Swan and Thomas Edison independently developed – combining and perfecting existing elements deriving from the research of Humphry Davy, De Moleyn and Göbel – the incandescent filament electric light bulb.

To disguise the intense electric light, lampshades were used. Some were made by Nicholas Feipel in coloured glass. The great advantage of the electric light bulb was the absence of flame and traces of combustion, thus avoiding all risks of intoxication, explosion or fire. In the beginning, the filament was made of carbonised vegetable fibres, then bamboo fibres and finally metal alloys until, in the early 20th century, the tungsten filament invented in 1904 became established. Article from wikipedia.

An interesting study was done by Tacoma Public Utilities in 1997 to determine how much residential energy is used for lighting and what rooms use the most lights.  An estimate of two dozen fixtures per home was used and the study was done for six months at a time for a total of 2 years. 
The study showed that there was a 50% increase in energy for the darker months of the year.  Overall the hightest lighting energy uses are kitchens, living rooms, porches and outdoors. It was noted that the lighting energy use did not correlate with heated floor area, number of occupants or hours of occupancy. Behavior and other occupant factors seemed to have more of an effect that the size of a home and the number of people present. The following were the rooms with highest use in that order, kitchens, living rooms, porches, master bedroom and other bedrooms/bathrooms.
The darkest months are ahead of us and it might be a wise move to find that perfect ceiling light for the kitchen or breakfast nook since that is the place to be in the autumn and winter months. 

Tiffany type table lamps offer a variety of designs, one of which is a dragonfly.  It seems an unusual design idea, but definately adds a colorful and distinct display of beauty.  Here are some interesting tidbids about the dragonfly from wikipedia:

A dragonfly is a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body. Dragonflies are similar to damselflies, but the adults can be differentiated by the fact that the wings of most dragonflies are held away from, and perpendicular to, the body when at rest.

Dragonflies typically eat mosquitoes, and other small insects like flies, bees, ants and butterflies. They are therefore valued as predators, since they help control populations of harmful insects. Dragonflies are usually found around lakes, ponds, streams and wetlands because their larvae, known as “nymphs”, are aquatic. Adult dragonflies do not bite or sting humans.

Everyone loves to go to a summer barbecue that starts early and ends late. Patio and backyard seating is key to hosting a good party. No matter how laid back your guests are no one want to sit on the grass that’s infested with biting insects. Picnic tables, benches and assorted lawn chairs are all needed if you plan on having more than a few people over.Outdoor lighting in also key to hosting a good party. During the summer many people like to stay outside long after the sun sets. And, good lighting makes the outdoor experience more enjoyable. Some people choose to hang brightly-colored lanterns around their yards and others prefer the subtle glow of in-ground garden lighting. No matter which lighting direction you take you should be fine as long as your outdoor guests can see one another.

I live in a basement apartment and it tends to get really dark down there in the winter. The ceiling lights don’t seem to do much good for the overall lighting affect, so I have been looking at different types of lamps that might brighten up the place. My mom recommended I try adding a couple floor lamps to each room.I took her suggestion and I have been happy with the light level ever since. Before adding the floor lamps I had to strain my eyes in order to read a book, and I had to keep the privacy shades up all the time unless I wanted it to be completely dim down there. I even feel a little bit more cheerful since I put in the extra lamps. I guess I should have done something a long time ago.

Sometimes you want an interior decorator to change the look of your home, but if you want to save a bundle, one choice is to find a beautiful table lamp to change the ambience.   Changing the color scheme by placing a different colored lamp in a few key area will do amazing things to a room or home.  Perhaps you want to change the mood of a bright, starkly colored room to a softer, more inviting tone.  Maybe a lamp with some art work would make a simple, but eloquent statment about the change you want to convey.   See how easy it is to do your own decorating. 

History of light goes back all the way to fire, of course. Fire was not only light, but a symbol of joy and of life-giving power, as darkness was of death and destruction. Fire is the most mysterious and impressive of all elements. In many primitive religions of the world, fire was considrered divine and omniscient. Cultures through out the ages have had sacred fires and ceremonial lights. Torches and lamps were carried in religious processions.  And several religions kept a fire burning at all times because it was considered sacred.

 Today, we taking lighting much for granted because it is commonplace and it takes only a flip of a switch to dispell darkness.  Of course the advent of electicity has also made lighting unique and beautiful.  For instance, a simple

floor lamp not only eliminates darkness, but some are designed to resemble the old type torch, as well as beauty to a room. They are called touchiere lamps.

You may be interested in upgrading a table lamp or perhaps a floor or ceiling light in one or more rooms of your home.  However, with the recent national financial events, you might need to postpone the upgrade for awhile.  There are some really good buys available,  but still you might need to reconsider a purshcase.  If that is the case then you might be interested in keeping older lamps in good repair.  Here are a few tips: 

Among the things that we do know about electricity is that faulty electrical system is almost always the cause of fire and injuries whether in commercial or residential infrastructures. This means that even at the first sign of electrical problems, have them fixed immediately, before things lead to a more serious problem.

However, you have to remember that with any electrical repairs, it always remains as one of the most risky tasks no matter how experienced you are. Therefore, you have to have the skills and knowledge to do the job, use the right tools, and most importantly observe safety measures before you start any electrical project.

Given that, you must turn off the circuit breaker before you start any electrical job. To make sure you have turned off the right breaker, use a voltage tester and if the light on the tester doesn’t lit up, that means the wire isn’t live and that you are ready to begin your job.

To avoid electrical problems such as electrocution or fire in your home, make sure to be vigilant for any potential electrical hazards. Don’t forget to keep your appliances away from water, check for correct wattage light bulbs, and check the insulation on a cord.

Additionally, see to it that there is a regular electrical inspection in your home. In order to determine the last electrical inspection date, check the door and cover of your electrical panel as these are the places where stickers with a date, signatures or initials are found.

It is always advised that you let any electrical repairs done by professional electrician no matter how simple the job may be. Do not take any risks especially if you are inexperienced when it comes to electrical problems as it is, again, a very dangerous job. If you ever decide to hire an electrical contractor in your area, make sure to choose the one that is qualified and licensed to do the job.
Article from ezinearticles.com