Low Voltage Lighting vs Solar Lighting

There is a growing debate over which type of landscape lighting is better:

Solar Lighting or Low Voltage Lighting.

This article highlights some of the pros and cons of both based on my own personal experience.

Low Voltage Lighting

This type of lighting is available in a variety of brightness levels and styles. The light emitted varies from fixture to fixture, but is usually very good. A transformer provides the electricity and can be controlled by an automatic timer. Low voltage lighting is shockless and safe to use around children and pets. It's also cost effective and the hardest thing about the installation is burying the wires.

Some of the benefits of low voltage lighting systems are listed below:

A professionally installed lighting system has been known to increase the value and resale of properties. Showcasing your house at night with low voltage lighting helps potential visitors find your property easier too.

Compared with line voltage, low voltage is easily installed, safe to operate, extremely economical, and casts beautiful light.

As a homeowner, you can enjoy more hours outside entertaining friends and family. Low voltage lighting can even be wired on your deck giving you great ambient light or even direct light for your grill.

Low voltage lighting systems are expandable so they can be adapted as properties are expanded and/or owners' needs change.

Proper lighting offers increased safety and security.

Some of the cons:

Bulbs burn out and need replacement.

Wiring can be damaged and need replacement.

Timers need to be reset with daylight savings ti

Solar Lighting

Solar lights use LEDs instead of traditional bulbs. LEDs last longer than any other light source, sometimes lasting as long as 10 years. This type of lighting requires no wiring and is the most energy-efficient lighting because it uses the sun's energy to recharge batteries. It costs nothing to operate and is easy to install. However, it should not be used to illuminate large areas brightly or for activities such as grilling and socializing.

Some of the benefits of Solar Lighting:

Lasts longer than other light sources. With LEDs there is nothing to break, rupture, shatter, leak, or contaminate.

Unlike typical conventional light sources, LEDs are not subject to

sudden failure or burnout. There is no point in time at which the light source ceases to function; instead, LEDs gradually degrade in performance over time.

Reduced Maintenance Costs - Since LED based light sources last at least 10 times longer than a normal light source, there is no need to replace the light, reducing or even eliminating ongoing maintenance costs and periodic bulb replacement. This is especially nice if you have an area that is difficult to access to change bulbs.

Energy efficiency - You can rest assured knowing that you aren't contributing nearly as much to global warming or the energy crisis when you use Solar products.

There is no mercury in the light source. Eliminating Mercury from your lighting system will enable you to meet new and future increasingly stringent environmental regulations.

Some of the cons:

The solar panels that typical lighting fixtures use need to be small. This means they collect less energy from the sun to recharge the batteries.

Areas that are frequently shaded or get little sun geographically also affect the recharging capabilities of the fixture.

The lighting is typically dim and does not cover much ground. It also tends to look blue even though it says they use "Super Bright White" LEDS.

The dim lighting means you have to use more fixtures, which creates a sort of landing strip look, or if you are using deck light fixtures they end up looking like a bunch of bug zappers, (without the ability to zap the bugs).

No matter how long they say that LEDs last, it has been my experience that the solar panel usually becomes covered in dirt and the batteries don't last nearly as long as they are supposed to. You have to keep that solar panel clean or it won't work, this means more maintenance more often.

Fixtures are usually set to come on at dark and off at light. Not much control there.

Summary

I tend to prefer low voltage lighting for the simple fact that it is better quality light and can be controlled better with timers. LED landscape lights will probably always be dim. Solar lights just don't harvest much energy from the sun, so no matter how efficient their LEDs, they will never be really bright. In comparison to your cheapie solar lights, low voltage is likely to be a huge improvement, and the low-voltage installation process is not really that much harder than it would be for solar fixtures.

I say, low voltage is the way to go until the technology can improve solar panels ability to capture energy and LEDs ability to output more light.

How to Change a Headlight Bulb on a Toyota

Changing a headlight bulb is one of the most basic things that you can do for a car. However, if you have never changed one, you may be a little bit lost at what to do. Changing the headlight bulbs on most popular Toyota model cars is pretty easy. However, before you can change one out, you have to have the bulb. It is best to go out during the day when you do not need your headlights to pick one up. You are going to need to know the make and model of your car. For example, if you are driving a 1999 Toyota Tacoma, then you will need to look for that. At most auto stores, they will have books by the bulbs so you can look up the bulb that is needed for your type of car. After locating the correct bulb, then you should buy it. Now we will move on to installing your new headlight bulb!

Installing Your New Bulb

The first thing that you need to do is pop open your hood. Use a flashlight to locate the back of the headlight. This is easy to find, because they are just on the reverse side of where they are located on the front of the car. Now at this point, you need to notice, or you will notice that some Toyota models have a back cover to their headlight unit. This is something that is going to require a screwdriver to get it off. To take it off, just locate all of the screws in the back of the backplate, and then take them off. After doing that, you should be able to remove the back plate with ease. Also, on some models of cars you will notice that after removing the backplate, you can see wires that are held in by plastic clips. At this point, you will want to take off that plastic clip and push all of the wiring out of your way. You do not want to mess with any of that. As soon as you move the wiring, the old light bulb will be easily seen.

Removing the light bulb is just like taking a bulb out of a lamp. You can remove it by screwing it to the left. Now take your new bulb out of the package. Put this bulb in and turn it to the right to lock it into place. It is a good idea to test the headlight at this point to make sure that it is working right before you put everything back together. Turn on your car and flip on your lights. Get out to check and make sure that the light came on. After doing that, put your clip back on your wiring and put the back plate back on. Make sure you insert all of the screws that were holding it into place. Make sure you grab all of your tools before closing the hood, and you are done!

A Few Tips and Tricks

Even if you have a flashlight, it is best to change your light bulb during the day. It makes it a lot easier to get it done quickly and the right way. Also, make sure that you pick up the bulb before you start work on your car. A lot of people tell you to remove the bulb fist and bring that to the auto shop. However, you will soon notice that this does you no good. Not only that, but you are just going to have to take the back plate off your light an extra time. Simply know the make and model of your car, and go to the auto shop. They have books there, as well as computers, that will tell you which bulb goes in which car.

You will notice that this is not a hard job, and you should be able to get it done with ease. This is not something that you have to take your car to the auto repair shop for. Anyone can change their own lights in their Toyota with this helpful step-by-step guide.

Save on Electric - 20 Money Saving Tips

Using these 20 money saving tips, you will be able to save on electric by up to 15% without changing your life style, all you need to do is think green. With just these few tips you will have a bit more cash left over at the end of each month to spend the way you want to not the way you have to.

Cooking

1. Always go for an oven with a self cleaning option, such ovens a higher grade of insulation, so as you cook you save on energy over an oven without this option.

2. Once you have something cooking in the oven, never open the door to check on progress, this will quickly reduce the temperature of the oven. Use the oven light and the glass panel, cook and save again

3. If you are cooking for one or two of you consider having a back up toaster oven, it will be faster more economic than a large conventional oven.

4. The most economic way to cook things like vegetables and reheat meals is to use a microwave oven, keep things at the edge of the rotating plate for max. efficiency and quicker cooking times

Refrigeration

5. Overcrowded fridges never work efficiently, make sure that you stack your shelves so that the air can flow around the food. This will allow you to up the temperature slightly and still preserve your food just as well.

6. Never put hot food into a fridge, this will raise the internal temperature and you energy cost rise cooling it down again. Leave food to cool before you put it in the fridge.

7. Make sure the seals on your fridge on freezer are regularly cleaned, if they get clogged with articles of food then they will not close properly and allow cold air out. It should go without saying that flattened or spilt seals need to be replaced.

8. Make sure that your fridge or freezer are sensibly placed well away from appliances that radiate heat, and heating vents or radiators

9. When buying a freezer keep in mind the needs of your family, do not be tempted to buy one that is bigger than you need, as the unused capacity costs you money to freeze down.

10. The other consideration when buying a freezer - upright or chest? Upright models look better and will blend in with your kitchen layout, just bear in mind that they leak your expensive cold air through the bottom of the door. So if you have space put a chest freezer out the back, not as cool looking, but a heck of a lot more energy efficient.

Washing the dishes

11. Modern dish washers are much more energy efficient a quiet than models of even a decade ago, so the purchase of that new dish washer you really wanted will probably pay for itself with savings you make on your electric bill.

12. Never run you dishwasher unless it is full, just wipe the leftovers from the dishes because if you rinse them off before you put them in, a) you might as well wash them and not put them in the dishwasher, b) you will waste your expensive hot water.

Laundry

13. When choosing a washing machine, choose a front loading model- they make cost a little more but they will save you up to 50% on your electric and up to 40% on water usage. When use in combination with the new cold water laundry detergents and set on 'cold wash' the cost per load drops like a rock.

14. Clean the filter on your dryer after every load and clean the outside filter (on the wall where to hot air comes out) at least once a month the improved air flow will reduce your drying times, your electric bill and will also cut down on the fire risk of having an outlet packed with combustible dry lint.

Lighting and heating

15. Modern energy efficient, they cost a little more than ordinary bulbs but they give more light and last much longer than conventional bulbs. If used throughout the house you electric bill will be reduced by as much as 7%.

16. Do not keep turning your lighting on and off this will reduce the life of the bulb by more than half, but do not leave them on when you go out of the room for any length of time.

17. Central heating and air conditioning carefully monitor the thermostat, excess heating or cooling will cost you a lot on electric bill. Gas fires with pilot lights, make sure that you turn it off in the summers months or if you are away from the house for more than a few days in the winter.

General maintenance

18. Insulation - Check all the joints in the house especially between the wall and door frames and windows this will allow leaks into the house, it is a simple matter of caulking the gaps and increasing your energy efficiency. Maintain the loft insulation, worn out loft insulation can add 15% to your heating and cooling costs, check for any energy efficiency tax rebates and or offers from your electricity company that may cover some of the cost.

19. A quality adhesive-backed weather seal should be placed around all external doors and opening windows so that they close tightly and prevent expensive drafts. The cushioned seals come on a rolls with an adhesive backing so are very simple to install and well worth the effort for the savings you will get on your electric bill

20. If you live in an area that is prone to extremes of temperature then enclose external doors with a small porch, this two door system will maintain a barrier space between the temperatures inside and out and save you money on your electric bill.

Once your house is energy efficient then why not consider creating your own green alternative energy system and increase your savings even more.

17 Ways to Make Your Small Business More Earth Friendly

Whether or not you believe global warming could be the end of civilization, there are other compelling reasons to take action to be environmentally friendly in your business. Respect for the planet and life all around you is the most basic of those reasons, but here are three others: it will reduce your costs, increase your efficiency, and add to your USP (unique selling position).

By following the familiar reduce, reuse, and recycle mantra you can save financially, which will allow you to invest more into growing your business or free up family finances.

You can increase your efficiency and get more organized by making small "green" changes such as printing less. For example, fewer piles of overflowing paper will make it easier to keep that working space clean and uncluttered so you can stay focused.

Sharing that you care, whether it's about the planet, the people, or some other angle, or some other cause entirely, helps you connect with your market and become more "real" than just a hidden person behind a faceless website. It's okay to allow your personality and passions to shine through your website and marketing. In fact, it's smart marketing!

So with those benefits in mind, here are some small steps you can take to make your business greener:

1) Reduce the amount of paper you use. Before you print, think. Do you *really* need to print out that email or document? If you just need a backup copy, pick up an inexpensive USB thumb drive and use it to save copies of important files.

2) Reuse and recycle. Keep a small box or tray for paper that you've printed on but no longer need and announce to your children that they are welcome to color, paint, cut, etc with the paper. Kids don't mind recycled paper and some really creative projects can result from paper that's already been used.

3) Buy EnergyStar appliances. Watch the energy usage on any appliances you purchase--computers, sergers, sewing machines--whatever tools are required for your trade. Always turn them off when not in use.

4) Go paperless for billing. Many business models easily lend themselves to e-billing. If yours does, do it. It will save you not only paper/envelopes, but also time and postage. Bills get where they need to go quicker, too.

5) Use organic, recycled and/or natural elements. If you've got choices in the materials you use, take a few minutes to research your options. You may be pleasantly surprised by the range of choices available.

6) Choose reusable. Instead of notebooks and paper for your to do lists, consider a dry erase board or go to a digital online version. Try Google Calendar instead of a paper planner. If your products require certain materials during the production process, can you use something reusable instead of disposable?

7) Buy in bulk. You'll save time as well as trips back and forth to the store if you purchase in bulk.

8) Change your lighting. Open the windows in your home office or working area and enjoy the beautiful, natural light! Replace your old style light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent bulbs to save energy and reduce your electric bill.

9) Choose a VA (virtual assistant) instead of an in-person assistant. Work with employees or contractors who work from their homes and you'll help save the gas and emissions from cars driving back and forth as well gain as many, many other benefits.

10) Combine errands and schedule meetings selectively. Can you do them all on one day? Fewer trips in your car are better. If you can eliminate some errands by having the USPS carrier (who's already driving by) pick up packages or meeting with clients via Skype instead of in-person, consider it.

11) Buy Green Tags. With green tags you can compensate for your CO2 usage. I purchase mine through Green Tags USA.

12) Go 100% Replanted. Through Replant Trees you can have trees planted to make up for your paper usage.

13) Choose your packaging materials carefully. You can find green packing materials starting at sustainablepackaging.org Recycle or reuse when feasible.

14) Deliver your products digitally. Can you offer a digital version of your products? How about offering your patterns as a PDF download? Or a PDF ebook option of your printable book? Encourage the digital options. Check out e-junkie.com for an easy way to sell digital items online.

15) Sell locally. No need for shipping if you sell to local customers. Try craft shows or farmers markets if they fit your products. You can find listings online at Indie Craft Guide or Indie Craft Shows. Depending on your products you could also work out discounts or commission based deals with tourist shops, museums, locally owned bookstores and other businesses or organizations in your local area.

16) Support green businesses. Does your webhost power their servers with green energy? Does your printer offer recycled paper for brochures or business cards? Look for ways to support other businesses who are making an effort to be green.

17) Share your commitment! Several websites (EcoFirms, EcoBusinessLinks, Green People, Coop America, and others) maintain link directories of eco-aware businesses. Add yours if you're taking action steps to be earth friendly.

Energy Star Lights

Energy Star lights are very good for the environment and were introduced around 1992. The energy efficient consumer products program was started to help promote environmentally friendly products. The idea is to reduce the amount of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

If you use Energy Star lights such as compact fluorescent bulbs in a proper lighting fixture, you could use up to seventy-five percent less energy than the old standard light fixtures used. Many lighting manufacturers are meeting the demands of the public in regards to environmentally friendly lighting products.

Consumers should consider replacing their high usage light fixtures with Energy Star lights. This will also help conserve energy and save money. Most people use the lights in the kitchen, living room, table lamps and outdoor lights the most. It would be wonderful to see every home in North America take this approach to energy conservation.

Due to the publics demand, manufacturers are producing Energy Star lights in various styles now. These include chandeliers, lamps, wall sconces and pendant lights as well.

It is not only Energy Star lights that feature the well known label, you can find it on such products as doors, air conditioners, furnaces, appliances, light bulbs, fans and many more household products. Consumers know that if they see the label on a product that they are getting something that is friendly to the environment. The demand for these products has skyrocketed in the past few years and will continue to do so.

The cost of Energy Star lights should go down as the demand increases. Right now, they are close to the same price with the energy saving product costing slightly more. Compact fluorescent light bulbs last up to ten times more that incandescent bulbs and they also use up to three times less power consumption. One of the drawbacks of incandescent lights is that most of the power used, just goes up in heat, which is a complete waste of energy. People do not use bulbs for heat; they use them for light in the majority of cases.

Energy Star lights are a great way for everyone to do their part in conserving energy. In fact, there really is no reason why consumers should not be switching to these environmentally friendly products.

Energy Saving Light Bulbs - The Sensible Alternative

The lights in an average household use about 20% of the total electricity, so anything that will reduce that power consumption will help lower your energy bill while cutting down on pollution. Fortunately, it's easy to save energy on lighting by simply installing energy saving light bulbs.

Regular incandescent light bulbs produce light by heating a small filament inside the bulb. This heat production accounts for 90% of the energy they consumer. Energy saving light bulbs are florescent, much more efficient because they don't need heat to produce light.

How much energy do they save? On average, the energy savings are about 66%. But that is not the only way you save money using these bulbs. They also last much longer than regular bulbs, so although they cost more, you still save money when buying light bulbs.

Energy saving light bulbs last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Even if the florescent bulb costs considerable more than the traditional bulb, the lifespan of the bulb combined with the energy savings adds up to substantial savings.

It has been conservatively estimated that you can save about $4 per year for each energy saving light bulb that you install in your house. If you replace 20 bulbs, that's a savings of $80 a year.

Just imagine if every household in America took advantage of the savings that compact florescent bulbs provide. Not only would have more buying power, we would also cut down on the pollution caused by electricity generating plants.

Greenhouse emissions are one of the biggest concerns with burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. The average household produces more greenhouse gases than a car because of the amount of electricity consumed. Installing energy saving light bulbs is one way to cut down on those emissions.

Do your pocket book and the environment a favor by using florescent compact bulbs wherever you can. It's the only sensible thing to do.

Fresh, Ripe Tomatoes All Winter

When growing winter tomatoes, choosing those varieties that have smaller vines are preferable. The shorter hours of sunlight in the winter months limits the potential for vine growth... so why not plant a shorter vine and use all that sunlight for growing bigger tomatoes? Good choices of varieties include: Cherry Gold, Red Robin, Pixie Hybrid, Toy Boy and Small Fry.

The ideal system for growing winter tomatoes is to schedule your planting in phases. That is, about every two weeks or so a new batch of seeds are germinated. If you begin your process in mid autumn you will have tomatoes right into the spring time outdoor planting season. Germination of the tomato seedlings usually takes 10 days. Once the initial seedlings sprout and develop small leaves they should be moved from the starting mix to a container which is slightly bigger.

Plant 2-3 seedlings per container. Some may have to be thinned later. The new container should have a soil depth of about 4-6 inches. Place the containers near a window or patio door to insure that the seedlings receive as much sunlight as possible. Turn the container regularly to insure the entire plant receives its ration of sunlight. Because of the short daylight hours in the winter months, a florescent lamp on a timer should be placed about 6 inches or so above the plants. They should receive about 16-18 hours of "light" each day, with at least 6 hours of dark.

Tomatoes like a lot of light and water, but insure that the sun intensity through glass windows is not too severe that it burns the tender shoots. Watering should be done on a schedule. Moist but not wet. About 2-3 times per week. Make sure that when you use containers that there is always a hole in the bottom for the water to drain through. Stagnant water will rot a tomato plant.

Soon your plants will be about 4-6 inches tall. Now is the time to once again replant to a larger container. If you have good lighting, and don't have to continually move your pots around, you can transplant your tomatoes into their permanent containers. Otherwise just up-size your pot to about a 3 gallon size. Now is the time to thin your seedlings. As you see the blossoms appearing, you can help the pollination process by carefully shaking the branches to scatter the pollen, or use a cotton ball and just blot each blossom, one after another to spread the pollen. Allowing a fan to blow on the veins periodically will assist, and helps to strengthen them as they move in the breeze.

A cage or a trellis should be used to let the tomato vine grow up and through for support. As you see the tomatoes forming carefully direct the branches for support. One should ensure sufficient nutrient strength for the winter tomato plants at all times. Giving tomato plants plenty of fertilizers is good in the growing season. High phosphorus content is good for the tomatoes. Similarly calcium content in the soil will help tomato plants grow well. Once every two weeks is good enough as far as adding fertilizer to the soil is concerned.

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, commonly known as N-P-K are very good for fertilizers, which should be added until the tomato plants mature. Using fish emulsion and liquid fertilizer are very good for the soil. This can be done around 2- 3 times during the entire period at regular intervals. At the same time, lightly till the top one inch or so of the soil in the container. The constant watering of the plants washes the nutrients out of the top soil. By aerating, removing and replacing some of this soil you will allow much better growth from the roots closest to the surface.

As Spring draws closer you may be temped to move your plants outside. Be sure to prepare for protecting your plants from intense sun or frost. Using a sun filter or cloth for the tomato plants keeps them safe from both hot sun and cold weather. Growing winter tomatoes is a good pastime and allows you to enjoy fresh and juicy tomatoes with a flavor one misses in commercial tomatoes. Tomatoes are a very hearty plant and will grow almost anywhere. Protect your plants from severe weather changes, plenty of water and sunlight, and an occasional application of nutrients and you will enjoy many juicy tomatoes in your Winter salads. Good Gardening.

LED Lighting For Your Home

What if you could install a light bulb and only have to replace it about once every twenty years? I know the first place that I would install one is in my stairwell where I have to get out my extra long ladder and climb way up high to change a light bulb that seems to go out every other month. Do you have a place that you would install one?

Here is some good news for you. You can have that light bulb right now. It is an led light for your home. LED lights have a life expectancy of twenty years, which makes them wonderful for all those places that are hard to reach.

Perhaps you are worried about the kind of light an LED would produce. Flourescent bulbs often offer longer life than incandescent ones, but the light they produce is sometimes cold and does not make your home feel like home any more. It feels more like an industrial warehouse. The good news is that LED lights produce a great quality light. It is described as full spectrum light. That means that it is not harsh, but warm like an incandescent bulb.

Have you ever noticed how much cooler your home is in the summertime when the lights are turned off. That is because incandescent lamps produce heat. If you have ten 100-watt incandescent lights on in your home, it is like turning on a 1000-watt space heater in the summer. Incandescent bulbs make your air conditioning work harder. Try this, insert a LED light in a fixture and turn it on. After about ten minutes reach your hand out and touch the lamp. It is going to be cool still. You would not dare do this with an incandescent bulb. You could be seriously burned.

Saving energy is a concern of almost everyone today. LED lights can help here also. A 15-watt LED light produces as much light as a 100-watt incandescent lamp or a 30-watt flourescent light. These convenient lights fit into a normal light socket and last forever.

While you will pay somewhat more initially for LED lights than for incandescent bulbs, remember that they have a lifespan of 20 years and they will save large amounts of energy.

Start by replacing those hard to reach locations. Then have a few of the LED lights on hand to replace those lights that burn out. In a matter of a few months you will have replaced every light in your home with a LED light that you may never have to replace again.

For Effective Stress Management, Put the Glass Down

We live in a time of extraordinary opportunities, which bring with it extraordinary expectations. But at the same time, it brings with it significant challenges, stresses and worries. Challenges are "good" stress that make one to be more effective and productive. But the flip side is, challenges may also lead to failures, disappointments, worries and "bad" stress. We all have moments of triumphs as well as failures. Satisfaction and stress remain a part of our life. Whereas satisfaction and sense of achievements charge us with energy to do even better, stress drains our energy and if not managed properly, puts us in a downward spiral.

To understand the exact nature of "bad" stress and how to handle it, consider this little story:
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his students on stress management. He held a glass of water, stretched his arm to full and asked the audience,

"How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"
"About 400 grams" was the reply.
"Can you hold it for 1 minute" The lecturer asked.
"Yes" was the response from audience
"For 5 hours" he asked again.
"May be" came the general answer.
"And can you hold it for 2 days, arm stretched, no breaks in between?" He asked.
The audience nodded their heads in NO.

The lecturer explained, "Most of worries or stresses in our life are "small negatives" which weigh very little, as this water glass. However, what really causes discomfort is the length of time for which we remain clung to these, just like glass of water. If we hold glass of water in a stretched arm for a minute, it is OK. If we hold it for an hour, we will have an ache in the arm. And if we hold it for 2 days (if we can), then we'll need an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier is becomes."

"Same is the case with our burdens. If we carry these all the time, these will become heavier and heavier. And if we do not put these burdens or glass of water down, we'll collapse".
"So far effective stress management, put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."

There are a number of ways to implement this principle in your life. A few ways I follow this principle include:

a. When leaving office, I scribble my worries, stresses, tensions on a piece of paper. Then I tell my mind that "Information is on the "clip board", ready to be pasted when required. However, I am now going to run another programme "personal and family time". I'll see the contents of clip board tomorrow" Strange it may be, but when the next day I paste the clipboard contents, many seem irrelevant and are discarded straight away.

b. Engage in an activity that demands focus, is challenging and absorbing e.g. reading, writing my journal

c. I "live in the moment". That is, I focus my sensors on the present moment, so that if I am walking, I concentrate on my stride, the surroundings, the nature etc.

d. I maintain a list of small, meaningful tasks that need to be done. So whenever I feel that I am holding the glass unnecessarily, I engage in these "to do" activities, which may include replacing a light bulb, washing my car, writing a letter, or returning a phone call.

Try to learn to make your burdens, your worries to rest. Think of them like bottled water in your backpack instead of a glass of water held in a stretched arm. Bring out your bottled water only when required. Let it be helpful for you, instead of becoming your ruthless master.

Home Energy Savings Tips: Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Because electrical lighting consumes nearly 15% of a household's electricity use, you may wish to learn about some energy efficient lighting alternatives. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are one you should consider.

Their design blends the energy efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience and interchangeability of incandescent fixtures. CFLs will fit nearly any fixture designed for an incandescent bulb.

CFLs can replace incandescent lights approximately 3-4 times their wattage, which means you can save up to 75% of the lighting energy. Although CFLs cost 10-20 times more than comparable incandescent bulbs, they last 10-15 times as long. In other words, over the long term you save lots of money by paying more up front.

Compact fluorescent lamps work a lot like regular fluorescent lamps. They're comprised of two parts: a magnetic or electronic ballast, and a gas-filled tube. The gas inside the tube glows with ultraviolet light when electricity from the ballast runs through it. This in turn triggers a white phosphor coating on the inside of the tube, emitting visible light all the way through the surface of the tube.

The type of compact fluorescent lamps which use magnetic ballasts flicker when they start, like regular fluorescents do. They also weigh more than CFL's with electronic ballasts, which may make them too heavy for some light fixtures. Electronic ballasts are more expensive, but light immediately. They are also more efficient than magnetic ballasts. Most currently available CFLs have electronic ballasts.

Because compact fluorescent lamps are designed to operate within certain temperature ranges, temperatures outside the range cause reduced light output. A CFL's temperature range can found printed on most lamp packages. Although there are models offered for outdoor use, most are for indoor applications. You can install outdoor CFLs in enclosed fixtures to reduce the effects of colder temperatures and wind chill.

This type of lighting is at its most cost effective in areas where lights are left on for long periods of time. In locations where lights are turned on for short periods of time, such as in closets and pantries, an incandescent bulb may be a better choice. Since compact fluorescent lamps do not need to be changed often, they are perfect for hard-to-reach areas like ceiling fixtures.

Try out a CFL for a test run and see how much energy you save.

Light Up Your Home the LED Way

The realm of incandescent bulbs is about to collapse. The invasion by CFL lighting components dug up a deep hole in their credibility years ago. If still something was left by the first strike, the LED arrived for the second and even more forceful blow that sent the conventional bulbs on the threshold of extinction.

By the time the battle between these lighting components is on, the consumers have turned out to be the real winners. They have got lighting components options galore. Having tested those incandescent and CFL lighting components on their litmus test already, they are set to do the same with these highly energy efficient LED lighting components.

So why keep waiting? Why you too don't give them a test? There could not be a better time than this phase of economic slump and slide to bring in some LED home lighting products. The financial dives have pulled the prices of these lighting components down to the earth. So that would be a double bonanza for you, saving much while buying them and cutting electricity charges drastically.

For your comfort, there is no part in your home which can't be lighted with LED lamps and bulbs. Check out below -

LED Night Lamps : Night Lamps consume the maximum of energy as its installation is essential everywhere right from the bedrooms to drawing rooms to your kitchen etc. Thus it would be most feasible to replace all such lamps with LED night lamps. They are cool and safe, thus you would be saved by the heat generated by other ordinary bulbs.

LED Reading Lamps : Either for you or your children, a LED reading lamp can make reading an exciting experience. You get an unmatchable brightness that reduces the strain on the eyes. As all the LED lights have a small mirrors attached to them, they ensure that all the light goes towards the exact location. In your case, the targets are the books. Thus the light hardly scatters and you end up using whole of the light.

LED Outdoor Lamps : It was believed that LED lamps were not suitable for outdoor lighting as they tend to produce lesser amount of light. But right now it is not so. There are improved versions of LED light bulbs which are working sufficiently with an increased efficiency. They are capable of illuminating whole of the backyard or the front yard.

LED Accent Lighting : Whether it is your lawn or the outer wall of your yard or the hallway or the entrance to your home, you are no more required to use any energy gobbling bulb. Rather make a trip to your nearest lighting equipments store to choose some dazzling LED accent lighting products. The controlled and recessed yellow or white light will resemble the sun or the moon suspended to your walls.

LED Ambiance Lighting : Sometimes you use light not only for the sake of visibility, but you seem to use it more for your aesthetic purposes. So the LED ambiance lighting products are there for you. Just install them wherever you need to do. The dim and recessed light produced will make your drawing room enough charming to resemble a set of romantic movie. LED cans up on the ceilings are mostly used for ambiance effect.

LED Fairy Lights : Mostly used for decoration purposes, these are cool and great to look at. They are highly energy efficient so will not be a burden on your pocket. Buy one with a fuse bulb system. So you are not required to worry even if one bulb stops working, because the whole lot will keep working.

LED Rainbow Lights : It is a multipurpose light. As per its name, it is a cluster of many colorful LED bulbs which give an impression of a rainbow glowing inside your bedroom. The same effects can be generated in other parts of your home too. Undoubtedly, it is best for those who love to use light as a tool of mood enhancement. Just switch on these rainbow lights and play on some hit songs of older days. Don't forget to close your eyes.

Hand Held Candles

Candles have been around for thousands of years to help illuminate the dark. Anciently they were most often made of tallow or beeswax or some natural fat byproduct. Today candles are usually made with paraffin or resin and last much longer than the ancient candles did.

While candles can be scented to help create a certain ambiance they do have the drawback of having a flame on the top. Candles with flames are a leading source of residential fires in the U.S., homes and churches have burned down due to these candle flames. So today there are flameless candles that usually use a Light Emitting Diode or LED as the light source. LED's are far safer than an open flame or even an incandescent bulb as they generate no heat, so even touching the LED bulb is safe. Because they are safer many churches and schools and insurance companies are encouraging people to use Hand Held LED Candles to lessen the chance of starting a fire.

There are several different types of hand held candles, some are sealed and meant to be thrown away once the batteries die, even though the LED bulb is still good. Better quality hand held candles allow the batteries to be replaced, extending the use of the candle. Some of these have a cap on the bottom that you twist and the batteries fall out. Still better are Hand Held Candles that have the batteries in a cradle that fits inside the candle stick, so you can pull the cradle out and easily replace the batteries. With proper care Hand Held Candles can last a long time. Hand Held Candles are perfect for church candlelight festivals, for choirs, for schools having graduations, as even small children can hold them without getting burned!

Green Environment - Keep Chemical Use to a Minimum

Are you concerned about global warming? Does it concern you when you think about all the damage pollution can do to our environment? We can all play a part in keeping our environment green and healthy.

Recycling is one of the biggest projects we have taken upon ourselves in this country. In some cities, you can even get fined for throwing away your recyclables. It has become a habit to recycle, a way of life even. Most business's even have recycle bins to keep plastic and aluminum separate from garbage.

But we must increase our efforts, and go beyond recycling. Check at green environment online go to learn some of the other steps you can take to stay green. We can do our part by using less water, turning the lights off when we leave a room, and keeping our heat down in the winter months, even if it means wearing a sweater to keep warm.

We can go one step further by keeping chemical use down to a bare minimum. Most foods and cooking equipment today are overloaded with chemicals. Our nation is so overrun with fast food, that we don't even try to cut back on McDonald's or Burger King. Sadly, we have gotten very spoiled with fast food. All we need is a little more information on the danger we are facing, and if we just read up on this danger at green environment online go, it could make a world of difference.

Replace all the light bulbs in your home with energy efficient bulbs. Today you can purchase light bulbs that give off a sufficient amount of light without wreaking havoc on the community and on your electric bill.

Even our furniture has chemicals in the stains and fabrics it's made out of. Replace your wood bed frames with metal frames, which do not allow bugs or diseases to make a home in them. Replace your mattress that is loaded with chemicals with a good cotton filled mattress. Look for the go green environmental services logo before purchasing your mattress.

Our clothing is inundated with chemicals too. Our blankets and sheets, and even our pajamas are made from chemicals. So not only are we eating chemicals, but we're breathing them in too. And on top of that, the laundry soap and shampoo we use everyday are full of chemicals. So we wash our clothes in chemicals, and lather up our hair with it. We can at least lower the chemical use by cutting back on our laundry soap and shampoo use, by using only half the amount you normally use, that would be of some help. Green environment online go can help you with useful information on all of these concerns, our planet is counting on you!

Staging Your Home For Impressive Showings - Cheap & Easy Tips

It's a good day when I walk into a potential listing and the house is already in "show condition." As soon as I walk in, all I can think is yes! Unfortunately, this phenomenon does not happen very often. Most of the time, sellers need a little guidance to get their home in the proper shape for selling. A good REALTOR will help the sellers try to see their home from the eyes of a buyer. There are two major areas that need to be addressed, and they are the obvious ones - inside and outside.

Before a potential buyer can even see what the inside has to offer, they have to see the exterior when they drive up to the house. To maximize the curb appeal there are a few things that can be done easily and for just pennies.

1 - Move all materials, including garbage cans and gardening supplies from the yard (front and back) and store in a shed or garage.
2 - Mow the lawn, weed-eat, edge sidewalks, and pull weeds from all flower beds and planted areas.
3 - Replace any exterior light bulbs that are not working, including flood lamps and security lights.
4 - Sweep all walkways, steps, decks, patios and porches. Remove all small items from porches and decks.
5 - Try to remove all stains (oil, rust, mold, children's chalk, etc.) from the driveway and sidewalks.
6 - Replace worn or stained welcome mats.
7 - Remove spider webs from porches, decks, under eaves and from shrubs and bushes.

As you can see, none of these items are cost prohibitive, they just take a little effort. To be such inexpensive and relatively easy tasks, you would be surprised how many homes are on the market right now, that have unappealing curb appeal. Failure to do these simple things can result in missed opportunities to impress potential buyers. I can't tell you how many times I have been out showing properties and pull up to a house and my clients say "that's ok, we don't need to see this one." After pressing them for an explanation it becomes clear they feel if these sellers can't take care of the outside, they probably don't take care of the inside. Now, let's move on to the interior of the home. The five things that need to be done to the interior to get it in "Show Condition" are:

1 - Clean
2 - De-clutter
3 - Stage furniture
4 - Let the light in!
5 - Mood music

The main thing that any seller needs to do when preparing to have their property shown is... CLEAN IT! When I say CLEAN IT, I mean give it a deep cleaning. Not just the lick-and-a-promise that most of us do every week in our own homes. I mean dust the tops of doors, ceiling fans, lamp shades, tops of picture frames, basically every surface needs to be dusted or wiped down. The other area that people tend to omit or pass over is the baseboards. The dirt and grime that gets on the baseboards and in the corners of the shoe-molding makes a house look older than it is. This is one of the areas that potential buyers will notice and cause them to turn to me and say "this house needs a good cleaning!" This item takes a little bit of extra effort because it may require a toothbrush and result in sore knees, but it will be well worth it.

Getting a home in show condition always requires de-cluttering. If you have 10 things sitting on every flat surface or table-top, I usually suggest to my sellers to take everything off and put back 3 things that look nice as decoration. Put the rest of the nic-nacs and family pictures in the attic or in storage. If you have too much of your personal stuff sitting around, potential buyers cannot envision their own stuff in the house.

De-cluttering also pertains to kitchens. They are not exempt. Take all magnets and pictures off of the refrigerator. Also take all small appliances and cooking supplies off of the counter tops. This includes coffee makers, toasters, croc-pots, spice racks, etc. Counter tops are considered a work space. The more junk you have on your counters the smaller the work space looks. I have seen buyers pass on a house they otherwise liked because there was so much clutter in the kitchen the buyer's perception was that it was too small.

Now that the clutter has been removed, room-flow and floor space need to be considered. Furniture should not be overbearing in a room. Furniture should not block pathways and should not choke a room.

If there are huge pieces of furniture in a room that is too small to accommodate it, take a couple of pieces out and put them in storage. If furniture overfills a room, it makes the room look smaller than it really is. Furniture should be placed in such a way as to invite flow from one room to the other. Staging the furniture is not as easy as it sounds. That's why designers get paid the big bucks. Without going to that expense, a good professional REALTOR® can usually provide some guidance in this area.

The next thing for the interior, is to let the light in!!! Open the blinds, open those drapes, raise those shades. If you know you have a showing scheduled, turn on lights in some of the key rooms before you leave (foyer, family room, dining room, kitchen and master bedroom, etc.). Houses that appear to be light and airy always appeal to potential buyers more so than houses that are dark and dreary. This item is so easy and yet so overlooked.

There is one last thing to be done as you're walking out the door before a scheduled showing; put some mood music on the stereo and turn it down low. Light jazz or light classical works well. This sets the tone when the potential buyers walk in the door. It will be obvious to the buyer that these sellers are serious; they take pride in their home and know what they're doing. That's all there is to it. These tips were easy to do and not cost prohibitive. Now your home is in "Show Condition" and your chances of getting an offer (in a timely manner) just went up tremendously!

Bathroom Lighting Chrome - The Classy Effect

Many believe that chrome is just for kitchen faucets and for Cadillacs. However lighting designers globally are quickly adjusting their methods of designing bathroom lights to a Bath Lighting Chrome effect, as they replace previously popular finishes in nickel and bronze. Bath lighting chrome gives your bathroom beautiful lights which have a beautiful overall finish of chrome. These chrome lights in your bathroom will give it a shiny, mirror-like quality that is second to none. Bath Lighting Chrome will also be great for your decorating needs as it will match perfectly with your traditional and modern bathroom fixtures, as well as enhance the overall brilliance of the lighting produced.

Bath lighting chrome will give your room a modern and tasteful appearance and they are extremely durable, giving you several years of service without any defects. The chrome is a fantastic design for your bath or wash room and will complement its accessories like your towel racks, lotion dispensers, soap dishes and toilet tissue holders. Besides the great decorating benefits, you may discover that a bath lighting chrome effect will give your room a classy look and feel and it goes well with any decorating theme that you may choose to use.

Apart from providing the necessary lighting that is provided in your bath or wash room to brush your teeth and have your shower among other activities, another great benefit of using lighting chrome is that the overall chrome lights are not overpowering and gives your room a gorgeous look. These lighting designs will enhance the taste and attractiveness of your room and it will add a beautiful color to the walls and flooring, giving your bath or wash room and by extension your home a splendid decor.

If you have other lighting designs in your bathroom that is not bathroom lighting chrome, you may need to consider purchasing one, as the chrome design will give your old out dated bathroom a wonderful bright chrome-like look. If you are on a tight budget and you are worried about the cost of these stylish designed bathroom lights, then you should not worry mainly because chrome bathroom lights can be purchased at a reasonable cost. So, you can redesign and remodel your bathroom with beautiful chrome lights, while you save thousands of dollars.

If you are looking to purchase these beautiful chrome lights for your bathroom, you can search the Internet. Online, there are hundreds of websites that will help you to find a wide variety of chrome lights at prices that are affordable. There will also be that perfect light design just for your bathroom and its accessories. You may also need to bear in mind that chrome bathroom lights goes well with other bathroom accessories that are chrome-like to give your bathroom the ultimate classy look that it deserves. Therefore, whenever you choose to remodel your out dated bathroom, you should try to change your other bathroom accessories to give your bathroom that ancient and stylish chrome look. So, whenever you choose to visit your bathroom, you will be graced with the beauty of a classy bathroom making you comfortable and cosy.

The Environmental Benefits of Using Energy-Efficient Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Everyone knows that merely stating that compact fluorescent light bulbs help protect the environment and reduce consumption of fossil fuels is not enough to motivate people all over the world to replace their incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescents. In order to create change in people's buying habits and perspectives, you have to prove it to them. To that end, here are some of the main environmental benefits of replacing short-lived and inefficient incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

- Decreased use of fossil fuels-Over 50 percent of the electricity in the U.S. comes from coal-fired power plants. Although America has many coal-producing regions, there's hardly an infinite supply and in most cases, the richest veins of the most desirable type of coal have been depleted which means more energy has to be used to mine coal in smaller, less accessible seams.

- Less air, water, and soil pollution-If each household in the U.S. replaced one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, it would amount to the equivalent pollution reduction of removing one million cars from our nation's highways. That's a staggering number and very easily accomplished.

- Less waste in landfills-Compact fluorescent light bulbs last, on average, ten times longer than incandescent bulbs which significantly reduces the amount of waste in our landfills. What's more, new CFB technologies being featured by Superior Lamp Inc. are extending bulb life even further.

- Reduced production of greenhouses gases-Greenhouse gases cause global warming and impact the environment in countless other ways. Since each CFB uses substantially less power than incandescent bulbs, less electricity is consumed so less coal and other fossil fuels are consumed so less greenhouse gases are produced as a byproduct of producing energy.

- Increased environmental awareness-This is a subtle but profoundly powerful environmental benefit of switching over to compact fluorescent bulbs. When people swap out incandescent bulbs for CFBs, it makes them feel that they are actively taking steps to become part of the solution instead of the problem which inspires them to consider and implement other changes in their life to protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint. These actions are noted by friends and family who then take steps of their own to protect the environment.

This gradually builds momentum and over time, more and more people think about how their buying habits and actions impact the environment and eventually it fosters a progressive climate where people make environmentally-responsible decisions both consciously and unconsciously. Since one of the most powerful influences on human behavior is how we are perceived by others, it only takes a handful of people making responsible choices to start a self-perpetuating trend of environmental responsibility.

These are only a handful of the many environmental benefits of using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent lighting and while reading this article, you're likely to have thought of several more. Compact fluorescent light bulbs may cost a little more to purchase but given the savings they provide to all of us through reduced energy consumption and their environmental benefits, it's a very easy decision to make.

Important Parts of the Crystal Chandelier

A crystal chandelier is one of the best fixtures that you can hang on your ceiling. It has the ability to enhance the beauty and elegance of your home. But of course it is important that you have to be aware of the important facts about it.

If you are interested to hang a crystal chandelier on your ceiling, you have to be aware of its basic parts. In this way, you will be able to keep your fixture well maintained. Keep in mind that each parts of this fixture are very important. So if you are going to hang one, then you have to follow the instructions carefully. Normally manufacturer of this fixture provide manuals so that owner will have a guide on how to assemble it and how to maintain its cleanliness. In this way you will be able to keep the fixture functional and stylish.

One of the attractive parts of the crystal chandeliers are the crystal. These are the most visible parts of the fixture and most of the time the price of this fixture is determined with its quality. The crystals that are being used with this fixture usually come in different size and shapes. Prices may also range from expensive to less expensive. When buying a custom fixture you can choose then type of crystals that you want in order to match the existing theme that you have at home.

One of the important parts of the crystal chandelier is the arm. This part is the one that holds the crystal and visible in some ways. Most of the times these arm are well framed. If you want to have a unique crystal chandelier, you can also have the arm custom made. You can choose designs from those that are already done or you can have it custom that will perfectly fits with your needs and taste.

One of the main functions of the crystal chandelier is to provide enough brightness. It is important that you have to choose the bulbs that will provide you enough brightness. Butt of course when choosing the right bulbs for your crystal chandelier; you have to choose the one that is energy saver to avoid having high monthly electric bills. If you prefer those ready made fixture, you can replace the bulbs with those cost efficient or the one that can provide you the brightness that you need. Keep in mind hat there are lots of options that are available out in the market.

Electricity Dependence and Energy Conservation

Why are we so dependent on electricity? The answer is simple - electricity allows modern appliances and more convenience in our lives. What would life be like if we went back to the time before electricity? Life was much harder than, and electricity has made modern life possible. The problem with being dependent on electricity is the fact that much of the electricity we use is created in coal powered energy plants. When coal is burned, greenhouse gases and pollution are emitted that cause environmental harm. Going back to no electricity is not a viable option, but we can lower our electricity consumption and find other ways to create electricity using alternative energy sources instead of coal and other fossil fuels. Waste to energy programs are one way that needed electricity can be produced without using fossil fuels, and there are many others.

The basics of electricity production are not as complex as many believe. Electricity can be produced using many other methods besides ones which require fossil fuels. Wind power, solar power, ocean power, and geothermal power are all alternative energy sources which can produce electricity. The basic production is the same though because all electricity starts with electrons, and a conductor which allows these electrons to travel through the material. Without a conductor it is not possible for electricity to travel from one place to another. A generator is used to move the electricity in the desired direction and flow. For electricity to be produced an electrical circuit is needed. Electricity production is possible using alternative energy sources instead of coal or other fossil fuels, and this will give many benefits, including environmental benefits.

Energy conservation efforts must be used to minimize electricity dependence, while using alternative energy sources to create the electricity needed. But exactly what lies behind real energy conservation? Real energy conservation means cutting back on the electricity you use, and making sure that the electricity you do use for necessities is produced from eco friendly alternative energy sources, instead of coal or other fossil fuels. If you have older appliances, replace them with energy efficient models that do not require as much electricity, and make your home as energy efficient as possible. Try to minimize electricity use as much as possible, and use clean sources of electricity.

The benefits of using energy saving light bulbs can help with electricity conservation. These bulbs last ten times longer than the usual light bulbs, and do not cost much more. Energy saving bulbs can help save both money and energy, because they do not have to be replaced as frequently, and they require much less energy to use. In addition less waste goes to the landfill, because energy saving bulbs do not need to be replaced anywhere near as often as traditional light bulbs. These bulbs can be an efficient way to conserve energy and protect the environment from harm, and is just one way out of thousands that you can use conservation efforts to make a difference. Electricity dependence does not mean conservation efforts can not be effective. Protecting the environment, conserving energy, and using alternative energy sources to produce electricity will prevent any energy crisis and keep the environment in good shape.

Tips to Increase the Value of Your Home

Selling your home at a profit can be quite a problem. For one thing, its value may have already decreased overtime; this may be due to ordinary wear and tear or inevitable accidents. For whatever the reason, you may find yourself stumped in trying to find ways to sell your home for more than its actual value. All is not lost however; there are simple and inexpensive ways to help you spruce up your house to make it seem more valuable than it actually is.

First, consider the upkeep and cleanliness of your house. Check out your yard. If there are bushes that need trimming or grass that need cutting, go ahead and work it. Mow the lawn, mulch the flowerbed and add a little landscaping if you can. Gardening chores maybe hard work but it won't cost you a thing. Potential buyers will see your front yard first and get their first impression of your house from there. So spruce up the front and event the backyard. After your done outside, its time to check the inside of your house. Dust tables and shelves, vacuum the carpet, clean the bathrooms, wash the windows and walls, and make sure you get rid of all the clutter. What your home looks like on the inside is just as important as how it looks on the outside. It would also help if you put on fresh table linens, curtains and fluff up the cushions. Don't forget to dispose of the trash properly, both inside and outside the house.

Once you are done with simple house chores, you should try doing some simple house repairs. It doesn't have to involve a major remodel of your house. All you need to do is a couple of do-it-yourself fixer uppers. Repairs such as tightening the kitchens sinks, fixing door knobs, replacing old light bulbs, repairing windows and the like can be done with a little extra time and your own tool box. If you can, you might think about applying a fresh coat of paint to cover some walls in the house or re-varnishing some of the furniture. With enough skill, you can also refinish old cabinets and shelves or re-upholster some of your furniture. But again, this doesn't have to cost you too much. All you need is some effort and patience to do these tasks. If you are too lazy to do any of the work though, do not feel bad about signing a contractor's service forms to have them do the work.

However, adding some things to your home can also increase its value. Installing new lights might give your house a brighter more modern look. Getting a new carpet or new piece of furniture might spruce up a room and make it more charming and appealing to potential buyers. By following these tips, you will feel comfortable asking for a higher sales price in your real estate legal forms.

HID Kits

Once you understand the benefits of HID lights over traditional halogen bulbs, the next natural step is to figure out a way to replace your existing low-efficiency bulbs with powerful and superior HID lights. In order to help you do that, there are HID kits (or Xenon kits) available on the market.

The xenon kit contains all the necessary parts you need to change your halogen light to a xenon light. You get two xenon bulbs, a dual or two single counterbalances, connectors and wiring to replace the halogen light, and a user manual with a guide. The user manual contains all the information about the kits and the guide provides step-by-step instructions to install the HID kit in your car.

HID Lights, as the name High Intensity Discharge kits suggests, can provide you 3 times more light while driving at night so that you can see the road 3 times better than you do with halogen headlights. The bulbs that are provided with the kit are more reliable and three times brighter than the normal halogen bulbs. The accompanying slim counterbalances in the kits make it easy to install these bulbs in your car. These kits are made of high-quality controls and high-end electrical parts.

Now, you might be wondering why you can't just exchange the halogen bulbs for HID bulbs. The reason is that HID kits are an entirely different system of high intensity discharge components made up of counterbalances, bulb holders, wires, and a backend support system for the lighting mechanism. HID Lights use a different mechanism from ordinary headlights, which makes it impossible to use your regular light system with HID bulbs.

There are a few things to know in regards to HID kits, some of the more important ones are:

• K= Kelvin which is temperature at which the xenon gas will burn in the bulb. This mainly affects the color of light so consider this while buying
• Digital HID kits come with various specifications including super thin counterbalances that make it easy to install if your car is digital, and a year-long warranty on all of its parts, which gives it an edge over the other usual HID kits
• Despite the fact that the output of light is very high, its power consumption is quite low, which is a great added benefit with HID kits.

HID Kits usually come with everything you would need to install HID lights. It is very important that you pay attention to the temperature at which the bulb burns as it will affect the color of light that you see. Lastly, it is important to remember that since HID uses a different mechanism than a regular lighting system that HID bulbs are not interchangeable with halogen bulbs.

The Right Type of Flashlight

A flashlight, also called a torch is a portable device used for illumination and usually has battery cells for power. A flashlight usually consists of a small electric light bulb, a compartment for batteries which power the bulb, a switch for the bulb and a parabolic reflector for focusing the light. The battery compartment also acts like a handle for holding the flashlight.

Though the flashlight is of a very simple design, it is a relatively new invention. It came into being after the incandescent light bulb and the dry cell was invented.

The name "flashlight" has a humorous background. In the early days of the dry cell, the power of a dry cell battery was very limited. To save the dry cell from discharging quickly, the flashlight was operated intermittently and just long enough to check out the environments, hence the name "flashlight".

There are many flashlight designs available in the market today. Like dry cell flash lights, rechargeable acid type flashlights, rechargeable dry cell type, LED (Light Emitting Diode) type, solar charging type, electromagnet type, head lamp type, underwater type, rifle or gun light etc.

The dry cell flashlight is the simplest design and used in most households and consists of dry cells to power the electric bulb. As the batteries discharge the illumination dims in these flashlights.

Rather than buying a flashlight, which needs battery replacement frequently, a better design is to use rechargeable batteries, which can be lead acid type or dry cell type.

Some use solar panels for recharging during daytime. Electromagnet type uses a clockwork arrangement or a knob arrangement. In clockwork arrangement a spring mechanism is used to power the flashlight and has to be wound as required. The knob type arrangement has a moving coil or magnet which moves when the knob is pressed and charges a capacitor, which provides power to the bulb.

LED type flashlights are of a recent design. Though LED:s have been around for decades, the LED flashlight was not available till late 90s because the LED:s could not be operated continuously and their luminosity was very poor.

LED flashlights consume very little power compared to the conventional electric bulb as LED:s do not produce as much heat as electric bulb. LED flashlights usually have a metal body to dissipate heat by conduction since LED:s do not dissipate heat through the light beam like electric bulbs do.

A headlamp type has a flashlight on a helmet so that the hands are free. Underwater type is a special flashlight, which is used for illuminating underwater objects and is waterproof. Rifle or gun lights are special flashlights used for illumination of target.

Flashlights are fairly cheap and available in attractive designs. The price ranges from a few dollars to a couple of hundred dollars.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is a new trend. It started, as a luxury mean of enhancing the interiors and exteriors of hotels, high-class restaurants or corporate buildings and it is now an affordable home design technique. There are enough lighting fixtures you could use for interior design, but the ones that could provide for the most spectacular accents are the LED light sources. These come in different shapes, sizes, viewing angles, effects and colors. You could even ask a manufacturer to create a LED luminary of your design (but take care: development costs are high and any non-standard product is expensive). The LED lights contain no harmful UV rays. Take that and their low power consumption and you've got a highly reliable lighting fixture to replace other conventional lights and create unexpected lighting accents and designs.

Let's take a look at what LED light sources you could use (and where) to create spectacular accents that will mesmerize your visitors.

LED spots are perfect for bathroom vanities, cupboards and lockers. They make nice accent lights especially when they come in their RGB option. A quality RGB LED spot not only saves energy and can be programmed to create special light and color effects, but emits a uniform, consistent lighting, with no shadow or glare, far superior to what has up to now been possible with halogen or neon lights. Yes, LEDs can replace traditional halogen and other conventional lamps. So if you have such lighting fixtures you might consider buying some MR16 or GU10 LED bulbs that will emanate enough light (for accent and not for illumination purposes).

LED stripes - either flexible or standard - are perfect to create trails on the floors, walls or ceilings. The best part about such lighting fixtures is that they are really slim and you could insert them in tiny niches, behind different pieces of furniture for instance, to create "hidden lights". You could also use these stripes to mark outdoors paths or for edge lighting. For indoor applications, where you don't want to make holes in the walls or floors, you could always choose LED stripes with adhesive tapes (these are extremely easy to mount and provide for increased flexibility, as you can always change their place if you look for new accents). If you are looking to replace neon tubes, LEDs are the best alternative. Modern LED tubes or ropes have a viewing angle of 360° (due to a special positioning of the LEDs inside the plastic or Plexiglas composite profile), are flexible and safe.

But the most popular accent lighting source so far is the LED tile. You probably know it as "Mood light" a Traxon brand. However, Traxon is not the only manufacturer. If you cannot afford a Traxon product, you could always perform a search for "LED tiles" in Google and you'll find other manufacturers that will sell you similar products, made of high quality materials, for half the price. With a few LED tiles, you could create a "wellness wall" or place them randomly around the room and control the light effects, color and intensity to create a special atmosphere in your home.

How to Triple Your Sales With NLP - Essential NLP Tips

One of our clients have recently reported great success in applying NLP techniques in sales environment. They previously closed about 30% of incoming phone inquiries, and after 3 days of NLP sales training with us, they now close almost 90 % of inquiries. This article outlines the basic NLP strategies that I shared with them. Although a written word can not replace live NLP training and practice, you may get a much better idea of what you can do to increase your sales, especially those carried over the phone.

1. Match tonality of your prospective client

Notice if your client talks using high, medium or low tonality. Take care to match their tonality, especially at the beginning of your conversation. For example, if your client talks in low pitch of voice, and your natural voice has got a high pitch to it, step out of your comfortable zone and lower your tonality. This is very powerful way to build rapport with your prospective client very quickly.

2. Talk their language

Listen to your client closely to determine how are they using their senses to process information. Depending on the key words and predicates they use, you will be able to determine which representational system is their favourite and how do they need to be talked to in order to 'get what you are saying'.

Visual People

Visual people think in images. They imagine what they want and learn by seeing. So you need to show them your product, send them brochure or e-mail them with graphs and pictures. They will use words such as see, view, bright, show, picture, clear, look, perceive, illustrate, focus, reflect, watch, preview. If you talk to them in visual terms, they will smile, comprehend, understand. They will be comfortable with you.

Auditory People

Auditory people respond to sounds better than people who use other modes of thinking. They love talking on the phone. Your tonality will be important to them. They will use words such as talk, hear, say, tell, sound, mention, accent, question, inquire and ask. Talk to them in auditory terms - they will 'hear' you.


Kinesthetic People

Kinesthetic People 'feel' the world. They will respond best to touch, emotions and gut instinct. They make frequent pauses in their conversations and often use words such as feel, touch, grasp, affect, pressure, grab, cold. Use these and similar words when you talk to them. Do not rush in conversation as they need slightly longer to process information than visual or auditory people.

3. Ask questions - plenty of them!

Effective questions and listening is the bottom line of trust. You will not be able to establish rapport with your client if you cannot listen. Every conversation is relationship, and you are there do discover your needs and values of your client - not other way round! Unfortunately, many sales people overlook importance of effective listening. They talk to the point when they oversell, often past the point when the client is willing to buy. By talking they often buy their product back!

Have a list of relevant open ended questions handy. Ask - and listen! Do not limit yourself to listening to what they say, listen to their emotions also. For example, if they use words 'happy' but sound flat, use this information and probe further. By asking questions and paying attention you will remain in control of conversation as you can use what you now know to describe your product accordingly. Link your product to needs of your client.

4. Uncover price at the end of conversation

Once I was asked by lady selling professional services for advice of how to improve her sales. She was happy with amount of inquiries she received, the only problem was, she converted hardly any of them. When I asked her to describe how the phone conversation usually went, she admitted that people usually called to ask about price, to which she promptly gave answer.

There is no surprise that she was struggling to sell. People who are interested in your product or service will often start with that question: "How much will it cost?" If you answer there and then, you have nowhere else to go. Unless they already made their mind up before their picked up the phone, you just lost your opportunity to get to know your client, to build relationship, to uncover their needs and to build value of your product or service.

So what to do when price is the only question on your customer's mind? It is actually very simple. When you are presented with question about the price at the beginning of conversation, ask your client: "Sure, and to answer that, may I ask you what got you interested in our product / service?" You can also tell them that it is free if it is not right for them and start asking questions.

Tell them about price towards the end of your conversation, once you know you built value of your product or service enough. If you did that well, price is never a question. Your customer only needs to know what they are paying for. Shortly after this point, it is a good idea to ask for objections, answer them if there are any, and ask for order.

5. Sell with integrity

This is probably the most important tip for increased sales - sell with integrity! If you have win win outcome in your mind and genuinely care about your client, you will find it very easy to build relationship with your client and sell them your product or service.

Once I was asked by a professional sales man whether we run an advanced course for building rapport. When I explained that rapport building skills are covered on each of our training courses, he said that he wants something more advanced than that. I told him: "No, we do not run any specialised courses for building rapport, however I can give you one advice right here and now that will surely advance your building rapport skills, would you like that?" And I told him to care about his customers. I told him to want the best for them. I told him to have a win win outcome in his mind. In other words, I told him to sell with integrity.

He had a 'light bulb' moment and I had a good feeling. I knew that from then on he will start building relationships instead of selling. Because to me, that what sales are about - meaningful relationships. With that in mind, sales excellence becomes so much more realistic.

Tips For Using Grow Lights

Lighting is essential for plants to grow strong and healthy, but sometimes indoor plants don't receive enough light.  That's where grow lights come in.  They help to provide the extra light that is needed by indoor plants.  However, if the light is too intense they will wither and die.  Too little and the plants either won't grow or are very spindly and weak.  There are some things that you can do to ensure that your plants get the proper lighting.  Here are some tips to help you get the best results when using grow lights.

Fluorescent tube lights are brighter and more intense at the middle of the tube than at the ends of the tube.  Therefore, you should rotate your plants once a week to help them grow straight.

As a fluorescent tube light gets older, the ends of the tube start to get darker.  This means that the light is loosing its efficiency and the light it is producing isn't as intense as a new bulb.  Therefore, it is best to replace the lights when the ends of the tube start to darken instead of waiting until the light completely burns out.

Wipe the bulbs in the grow lights every month with a clean, damp cloth.  This will remove any dirt and dust that has accumulated on the bulb.  Dirt filters out the amount of light that comes from the bulb and reduces its effectiveness.  Remember, a dirty bulb is a bad bulb.

There is an easy way to tell if your plants are too close to the grow lights.  Simply place your hand just above your plants.  If you can feel any heat on your hand that is coming from the light, then your plants are too close.  Move the light up higher until you can no longer feel any heat touching the plants.

Another important point to remember is that as the plants grow, they get closer to the light bulb.  So, even if you had the light at the proper distance from your plants, you may need to move it again.  Check about once a week, using the pointer above, to see if you need to move the light away from your plants.  It takes only seconds and will ensure that your plants grow healthy all the time.

How to Replace Your Ford Expedition Tail Light

The Ford Expedition is a full size SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) which was built by Ford Motor Company and introduced in the market in 1997 as a replacement to the earlier model - Ford Bronco. The Ford Expedition is Ford's flagship SUV. The current third generation models of these vehicles are produced in Kentucky from its earlier base at Michigan.

The Ford Expedition, just like any other vehicles, need proper maintenance in order to realize its full capacity.

Some of the most important parts that need apposite care include the exterior and the rare lights of the vehicle. Ford Expedition is therefore no exception to this maintenance and care. Tail lights (Rear lights) of Ford Expedition are of outmost importance and every driver of the vehicle should make sure they function all properly all the time.

Replacing the tail lights in Ford Expedition is often regarded as a tasking job and many a times, people seek expertise assistance. However, this can be made simple by following the below simple guide. With practice, it is likely that one can become an expert in tail light replacement on all Ford Expedition vehicles.

The tail light is located in the same place of the vehicle rear, one just below the other in the Ford Expedition. The only tools required here are either a T - 20 torx or a 9/32 socket. The first step is to open the entire lift gate, not just the glass to expose the lamp assemblies. There, you will see two or even three Phillip screws holding the tail lamp/lens assembly in place. Unscrew them and set them aside.

Carefully pop the lens off and to the light. There are normally three "push ins" that hold the lens. It may feel like more bolts, but if you pull evenly and diagonally away from the vehicle, they will pop out just fine. There are normally two light bulbs in the assembly on all Ford Expedition.

The top one is the brake light/ turn signal bulb and the other one is the back-up bulb. Normally, there are two groups of wires once you get the light out. These wires are the light bubs and they come out by turning counter-clockwise and then pulling up on them. Get rid of all the remnants of the lens out.

Once the area is clean, pop in the bulb in the new lens and turns it clockwise to snap it into place. Secure the two screws which had been set aside. The Ford Expedition auto parts stores recommend a 4157LL rather than the Sylvania 4157K and this works out perfectly.

This process should take you at least ten minutes and you are ready to bring back your ford Expeditions to the road. It is always advisable to replace the tail lamps as soon as they get broken. This will of course avoid facing the wrath of law enforcers as well as for safety purposes. This process should therefore be considered easy to learn by every Ford Expeditions driver.

Light Pollution Has India Counting Stars

There are signs that India longs for the dark sky they have lost to light pollution. Many are frustrated as the constellations are being replaced by the reddish glow of light pollution. Their sentiments are described in an article posted in The Week by Malayala Manorama Publications Kochi, Kerala. Jayshree Menon dislikes the excessive light encroaching on Dehli. She misses the mystery and sounds of the night, and the once exquisite view of the stars. Discontented at the pervasive light that invades her apartment even beyond heavy drapes, Jayshree is aggravated enough to do her part to reclaim the night. So is Anita Sharma, who can no longer teach her boys about the constellations because they are no longer visible.

In as little as a generation, the stars have faded due to excessive light. Couples can no longer enjoy a romantic evening stargazing. Glow-in-the-dark stars pasted on a ceiling may be the closest thing that the people of today's India can come to experiencing the stars. According to Anita, the stars she arranged in constellation formations on her children's bedroom ceiling may be the only way they have to recognize the stars. Anita doesn't feel confident they will ever see the genuine stars beyond the simulated light that has caused the night to become indiscernible from the day.

The light has spilled onto other issues as well, affecting human health. It throws off the natural circadian rhythm that the body relies on for sleep and eating cycles. Changing lifestyles may be influencing light pollution levels. At one time, few worked the graveyard shift in India. This has changed with economic expansion and outsourcing opportunities. With so many staying awake at night, the circadian rhythm is disturbed. Fatigue and decreased immunities is a result. This creates problems with Growth Hormone (GH) and melatonin levels. These changes can influence the effects of aging and cancer prevention. Cortisol also plays an important role in the circadian rhythm. The disturbance of Cortisol can cause stress, high blood pressure and weight changes. These issues indicate that light pollution not only causes the sky to fade, but it is causing India to get steadily unhealthier.

One of the reasons for excess light is security, which has since become counterproductive. While the experts try to learn all that they can about the damage of light pollution, India's youth are counting stars. This movement, known as Taare Sadak Par, began a year ago in response to the dismay of amateur astronomers over a vanishing night sky. As they network to document the skies for later analysis, the damages of light pollution continues.

Many in India see optimism beyond the reddish haze of light pollution, since it is the most reversible form of all types of pollution. It can be reduced simply by turning off the excess lights. Shielding light fixtures and closing the drapes are ways that homeowners can reduce light pollution. According to Bharat Adur of Akash Ganga Astronomical Association, a 60 watt bulb can reduce dark sky visibility by roughly three degrees. It is clear that astronomers require night sky clarity to study the constellations, and obvious that the body requires it. In addition, the children of India are dissatisfied by just listening to legends of the night sky from their parents. Children enjoy stories, but at some point, they want to experience it for themselves.

Replacing existing lights with lower watt, energy efficient bulbs are an excellent place to start. A general rule of thumb is to make sure that lights are pointed downward. Making sure that light fixtures have a shield over them to avoid unnecessary light shining upwards is very important, because light aimed at the sky obstructs the view of the night sky.

As homeowners and business owners we have choices about outdoor lighting. When you are ready to purchase outdoor lighting and/or replace your current fixtures you've now got an amazing selection of dark sky lighting fixtures to choose from. Light trespass occurs when lights from a neighboring property enters another household or back yard. This is disturbing and stressful to your neighbors. To keep the lights on only when needed you can install a motion detector on your outdoor lights, in addition to using a timer on lights. The goal is preventing excess light from disturbing the natural night sky and the well-being of others. Switching off lights at a decent hour is considerate, and an obvious way to avoid light trespass. By using these simple measures, not only is light pollution reduced, but light trespass is also avoided.

Should We Use Energy Saving Light Bulbs?

Most light bulbs in use today are the old incandescent bulbs invented more than 100 years ago. They are cheap and available for a wide range of power ratings. Unfortunately, only a very small amount of this power is converted into light. This makes them very inefficient. Because there are used all around the world and each room has at least one of them there is a significant amount of produced electrical energy that is wasted. It is converted into heat which is not needed. Because energy is not cheap and its production contributes to the global warming many governments have decided to replace conventional incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient replacements.

The most common choice is the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). They are designed to fit into the same fixture used for incandescent bulbs. Such lamps also include a small electronic circuit which acts as an electronic ballast. Compact fluorescent lamps are 3 to 4 times more efficient comparing to incandescent bulbs with the same luminosity. Also the rated life of compact fluorescent lamp is 10 to 15 times longer than for the incandescent ones and is usually between 6000 and 15000 hours. Despite its higher prices they can save a lot of money during its life time. Another benefit of CFLs is the type of light they produce. It is much closer to natural white light. This is because they radiate a light spectrum which depends on the phosphor coating. Usually few different types of phosphor coatings are used to create a wider light spectrum close to sunlight.

But fluorescent lighting has also some drawbacks. Lamps contain small amounts of mercury. Mercury is a very toxic element and we should take extra care not to come in touch with it. This complicates disposal of broken fluorescent lamps which should be stored in special containers for dangerous materials. CFLs do reach full brightness immediately after they are switch on. Therefore, it is not advised to use them where lighting is needed only for short times. Another drawback is that compact fluorescent lamps can not be dimmed. For such purpose we should use special CFLs designed to be used with dimmers.

Because of high efficiency and many other advantages many countries have prepared plans to replace old and inefficient incandescent bulbs with energy efficient fluorescent lamps. Typical measures include bans on production or selling of incandescent lamps. Using energy efficient lighting can save a lot of energy. And saving energy also reduces emissions of CO2. In other words, fluorescent lighting can help to reduce global warming.

Staging Your Home For Sale

Staging your home is one of the best way to sell your house as fast and for the most amount of money. I have been to a few listing presentations where the sellers tells me that some other realtor thought the house was good enough. Well, good enough is not what I want. I want your house to sell for the full price and I want you to move on with your life fast. The person who will buy your house must feel like he/she just walked in their new home. This is the feeling I am going for.

Here is some really good advice:

I have an approach that will work for every room of the house; you just need to go over it for each room. IMPORTANT - You look at each room from top to button, let's start from the left and move to the right. Don't look at the room as a whole, you need to methodically go over everything. The technique should be the same for every room:

1- Tabula Rasa. I am going Latin here, but what I want you to do is to remove every object that is not a furniture or a fixture. Let me look at my kitchen and I let you know what I can do here. From top to button: remove bottles on top of refrigerator and beautiful plant on cabinet. Remove magnet and my nieces drawing from refrigerator, plant on top of counter. Remove my personal pictures from the wall. Remove knives, cutting board, plant, coffee maker, coffee cups, small oven, paper towel, bottle of wine, cookies and basket of fruit from counters. Wow, I never noticed I had so much.

When you remove things from counters or furniture, you may not know where to put them. You may need to box them. Do 3 boxes:

1. Toss
2. Storage
3. Sell.

You also may need to rent a storage unit for the time of the listing. I don't want your boxes in the garage. Many people look at the garage and if cluttered may not imagine where they can put their cars and how much space there is for them to do projects.

2- Clean and repair. I have granite in my kitchen and this is a good time to make it shine. Buy some good products and clean everything from top to button. Starting from light fixtures to the top of the refrigerator (I am too short to see it, but there may be some taller people coming to see my house). Pay particular attention to the sink, that I want spotless, open the oven and clean it (some ovens cleans themselves), open the refrigerator and toss everything that is old and clean it. Make somebody clean the garbage can and wash it. I want no smell coming out of any part of your kitchen. Wash the floor. Repair leaking sinks, replace non working light bulbs, and retouch paint if necessary. Don't do big repairs, just small touches.

3- Put some love back. Now that is empty and clean chose a couple of pieces to put back. Mainly flowers and plants and for the kitchen a (1) nice piece such as a nice espresso machine. In the kitchen nothing goes on cabinets.

LED Home Lighting - A Beginner's Guide

Most people have come across LED lighting in one form or another; typically in torches, Christmas lights and solar or mains powered garden lighting. But many are still unaware that home LED lighting is now not only possible, but very much the future of domestic household lighting.

The Lighting Industry is fast dropping further investment in the current generation of low-energy lamps (Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFLs - ungainly, garish and, being filled with Mercury vapour, a disposal nightmare). Companies such as the giant Philips Lighting Corporation have already stated their commitment to home LED lighting as the way forward.

As a result, the availability, range and affordability of home LED lighting solutions is increasing at an explosive rate. But as at this moment it is still best to introduce LED lighting into your own home by approaching those application that LEDs are best able to replace.

The essential difference between traditional incandescent light bulbs and LED lights is that the former wastes up to 98% of the electricity supplied as heat but does shine light in all directions, whereas LED light sources convert nearly all their electricity into light (hence the reason they stay cool to the touch) but shine a pure and very intense directional light.

The other key differentiator is cost of ownership. LED light bulbs last an incredibly long time (3+ decades of normal use) and cost so little to run that the cost of the electricity used throughout the entire lifetime of a bulb is almost certain to be less than the cost of the bulb itself. This is in stark contrast to normal non-LED bulbs that are typically well over 500 times the price of the bulb itself in running and replacement costs.

These particular qualities (highly efficient, zero fire risk and focused light) make LED light bulbs a perfect replacement for spot lights, especially the ubiquitous halogen lamps now found in many homes and that waste heat and money in abundance.

But replacing domestic halogen down lighters is only one aspect of spot lighting that LED lamps are perfect for. They also make ideal display lighting and as a bonus can be fitted in places where you couldn't even contemplate using conventional incandescent spot lights because of the risk of damage and fire from their extremely high operating temperature.

LED spot lights are a natural choice for bringing illumination to display units, shelves, beneath kitchen units and inside cupboards and wardrobes. They can be easily installed adjacent to objects and surfaces without any danger of causing heat damage and often give a much better light than regular light bulbs in such applications.

Another dimension that home LED lighting is revolutionising is mood lighting, bringing a whole new array of effects that existing lighting technology cannot begin to emulate. LED mood lighting makes available a whole new palette of vibrant color that can be altered and blended at will to produce wonderful effects, either as a focal point or cast against floors, ceilings and walls to modify the ambiance of any room in your house.

So where to begin?

The first point to consider is that although home LED lighting will save you big bucks over time (in fact the break-even point is surprisingly short, often just 1 to 2 years), it is a long term investment. The initial capital costs associated with purchasing LED lamps are significant to most people, so it is prudent to schedule your conversion project into a number of separate phases.

Start by replacing lights that you use a lot (consume most electricity) and also replace those that don't need to be very bright. The reason for this latter suggestion is that older generation LEDs, although dated by the latest standards, are perfectly adequate as night lights and such like and can be left turned on all the time with negligible cost. They are also considerably cheaper than the modern generations of LEDs.

Those halogen spot lights mentioned above also make a good initial phase for your conversion project since they are typically installed in groups (on a rack of spots in a bathroom say, or as a dozen or more down lighters in larger rooms). They are also frequently left on a great deal of the time and are notorious for excess heat (for which read wasting electricity and money), so you will see clear and quick savings there. Cree LED spotlights are easily available and able to directly replace existing 35w halogen lamps, matching them closely for brightness, light color and beam angle, but saving 90% in terms of electricity running costs.

Display lighting, again for the reasons noted above, make a good target for replacement. And should you not already have display lighting then look again at the aesthetic enhancements that low-power LED spots and lighting strips could bring to your home. Display cabinets, recesses, shelves and ornaments or other features in a room can in effect serve as additional and attractive sources of illumination.

Of course, anywhere in your home that bright directional light is required is an obvious candidate for an LED replacement since that type of light is what LEDs excel at. Reading and desk lamps for example should throw clean, bright light just where you want it and nowhere else.

This category can also include up lighters and any other types of light fitting designed to cast light onto a surface, since a similar effect is easily achieved by reflecting light from an LED such that light is diffused over an area.

The final category to tackle should be the humble bulb and lampshade types of lighting, since these are intended to scatter light in all directions and only the very latest (and most expensive) LED light bulbs are currently able to emulate this effect. However, watch this space as this is an area of home LED lighting that is changing very fast.