Many people like to have the flexibility to dim their light bulbs. If you're one of them, read on. 

Traditional incandescent or halogen light bulbs are fully dimmable. As they dim, they tend to glow warmer and create a nice ambiance. It's pretty simply because there are no electrical components inside of these bulbs. Newer technologies however are not dimmable. Some CFL and LED bulbs are specially designed to be dimmed. Check packaging for a "dimmable" icon or notation that indicates the bulb can be dimmed. 

You should also look for compatibility information for LEDs as performance may vary by dimmer and the number of lamps connected to any one dimmer.

Two of the most recognizable and most commonly used bulbs in your home are the incandescent A19 and the halogen reflector or PAR. Although these were both great lighting accomplishments, studies have shown that these are inefficient light sources today.

In 2007, Congress passed a law to encourage the use of more efficient bulbs nationwide. According to this new legislation, the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), all light bulbs must be up to 30% more efficient as of January 1, 2012.

Now is the time to select an energy efficient alternative without losing the light you need. Here is a summary of old versus new light bulb technologies. The most important thing to note is that BRIGHTNESS which is measured in “lumens” does not change when choosing a new energy efficient alternative. What does change is the amount of energy consumed. Wattages will differ by manufacturer but here is a general guide of where they might end up.

Color Rendering Index for LED Bulbs–

A bulb’s capacity for producing correct-looking colors is measured by its score on the color rendering index. This figure, usually referred to as the CRI number, is a score out of 100. The CRI is comparing the lights to the colors reproduced by daylight.

A high CRI number is like a high grade point average for color quality. While most LEDs score in the 80s (a solid B average), quality continues to improve & CRI rating increases. Lower price LED’s may have a lower CRI rating.

Color Rendering Index is the ability of a light source to reproduce the colors of the object it is illuminating faithfully in comparison with a natural light source. The CRI is an index from 1 to 100, 100 being a perfect score (e.g. sun light). Those ugly yellow parking lot lights (high pressure sodium lights) have a CRI of 49. The reason we are not a fan of fluorescent lighting is because most of them are in the 60’s and 70’s range and do a poor job of accurately reproducing color. This is especially true in a home where great care is taken in selecting fabrics for furniture, paint color for walls, and floor coverings.

Look for high quality LED lighting to ensure the consistency of the color temperature across multiple products. If you retrofit your kitchen with 10 LED can lights, it is important that all 10 produce the same “white” light.

You don’t have to make a huge commitment now. If you want, you can upgrade to more efficient lighting one room at a time, or as old light bulbs burn out. Start with the fixtures that get used the most for maximum savings. Or start with installing an LED light bulb in a hard-to-reach spot, like a cathedral ceiling fixture, since you won’t have to replace it for many, many years.

Think to yourself- I will save money long term. I am helping the environment and I have less chances of falling off a ladder & hurting myself.

The sooner you make the switch, the sooner you’ll start saving.