Basement Lighting Shouldn’t Leave You In The Dark

Basement With Custom Recessed Lighting

Basement With Custom Recessed Lighting

If you are interested in improving your basement lighting, there are a few things to keep in mind for your project. The first and foremost is your electrical bill. It is no secret that choosing the wrong lighting can possibly double your light bill. Did you know that many consumers are still unaware that in the USA, that the power hungry incandescent lights have been phased out. It is illegal for US manufacturers to manufacture and/or import incandescent bulbs. This move was due, in large part, to a bill in 2007 that imposed stringent minimum efficacy standards. That legislation effectively banned the light bulbs we grew up with.

Turn Out The Incandescent Bulb

Essentially, the incandescent bulb has joined the: cassette tape, vinyl records, zip drives, typewriters, pagers and Walkmans. Now that the change has been initiated and there is no turning back, many consumers are experiencing, “Price Sticker Shock” with the new bulbs.

A six pack of sixty watt incandescent bulbs typically sells for $3.97. That comes to $0.66 cents per bulb. On the other hand, a six pack of the newer, sixty watt LED equivalent, costs approximately $56.82; which comes to $9.47 per bulb! That means consumers are spending $8.81 more per bulb. Is it worth it? A quick look at the numbers on the back-end tells the tale. The below stats are based on using the bulbs three hours per day.

The 60 watt incandescent bulb costs $7.23 yearly to operate. It has a lifespan of 1.8 years.

The 60 watt LED Light bulb costs $1.14 yearly to operate. It has a lifespan of 22.8 years.

As you can see, the LED light bulbs are a much better deal in the grand scheme of things. Suffice it to say that most consumers and homeowners should appreciate the reduction in their electric bill. How does this equate to basement lighting? You start off thinking cost savings! You want to make certain that all of your lighting is up to the latest standards.

As to the issue of whether it is going to be cost effective for you to upgrade or renovate your lighting depends primarily on two factors; aesthetics and/or costs. If the first and foremost reason for changing your downstairs lighting is aesthetics, generally speaking, the costs become a secondary issue. Nothing is worse than having the obtrusive looking power hungry incandescent bulbs versus the latest LED lights.

If you performed a comparative analysis, you would quickly confirm that the LED lights provide greater illumination at lower costs. Most homeowners who are considering new lighting in their basement should consider these facts so that they do not throw away their hard earned money on low quality lighting.

Practical and Exceptional Basement Lights

From a practical side, you can improve most basement lighting scenarios by simply adding a few fixtures in strategic places. Additionally, you have a number of options such as: recessed lighting, low ceiling lighting, track lights, directional lights and surface mounted spotlights to name a few. Once you decide on your new lighting scheme, the next critical step is examining your electrical wiring.

If you have issues related to your electrical wiring, now is the time to take care of this matter. If there is one area that should be taken seriously at all times, electrical wiring is it. By addressing electrical issues now, you will eliminate any possible latent problems in the future.

Overall, your primary two concerns are going to be aesthetics and costs. If you have an older home that has an outdated electrical fuse box, you will need to switch that box to the circuit breaker box. Other additional costs could be expenses related to hiring electrical contractors to run new wires and/or install electrical boxes. If you do your homework, you won’t be hit with any basement lighting charges or expenses that leave you in the dark.