| When selecting lighting for the home or office, many | | | | 3. Halogen bulbs have an average lifespan twice that |
| consumers today face a dilemma. Should I use | | | | of traditional incandescent bulbs. This means less |
| fluorescent (including compact fluorescent) bulbs to | | | | hassle to replace them and less space in a landfill. |
| save energy or should I use incandescent bulbs to | | | | 4. Halogen lights may be dimmed easily and the light |
| save my sanity? | | | | they produce is precise and directional. The small |
| For many, the cold, flickering light produced by | | | | filament and precise reflectors used in halogen bulbs |
| fluorescent fixtures is intolerable. Fluorescent lights | | | | make them ideal for confining and controlling their |
| typically cannot be dimmed and are thus frequently | | | | light to specific areas (for example, illuminating your |
| too bright, causing eye strain when working. The light | | | | desk but not your computer monitor). This is critical |
| emitted by florescent bulbs is uneven (it's | | | | when trying to reduce eye strain in work |
| concentrated in peaks and missing in valleys) along | | | | environments. |
| the lighting spectrum which mutes and distorts colors. | | | | 5. Finally, halogen bulbs are relatively compact. This |
| Frankly, many of us find it depressing. | | | | allows them to be used in a variety of innovating light |
| Traditional incandescent bulbs produce rich, | | | | fixtures. |
| full-spectrum light and are easily dimmed. | | | | Halogen bulbs do have some disadvantages: |
| Unfortunately, traditional incandescent bulbs are | | | | 1. Halogen bulbs do cost a little more than their |
| terribly inefficient. They emit relatively little light per | | | | established traditional competitors, but they are far |
| watt of power consumed and they burn out | | | | less expensive than LED of CF options. |
| frequently necessitating replacement. | | | | 2. Although longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, |
| Enter halogen lighting. Halogen lighting offers an | | | | the lifespan of a halogen bulb is shorter than |
| excellent compromise for those that won't settle for | | | | fluorescents. |
| poor quality light but still want to be environmentally | | | | 3. Halogen bulbs become very hot when operating. |
| responsible. | | | | Care must be taken not to touch operating lamps. |
| Halogen bulbs offer several advantages: | | | | For larger rooms, consider halogen track lighting as an |
| 1. Halogen bulbs produce excellent, full-spectrum, | | | | energy efficient solution to produce abundant quality |
| crisp, white light. The light is just as easy on the eye | | | | light. Track systems allow the directional heads to be |
| as traditional incandescent bulbs, but the light is | | | | aimed in any direction which is important considering |
| whiter (less yellow than traditional bulbs) and renders | | | | the precise beam of many halogen bulbs. |
| colors accurately. | | | | Before calculating the 'return on investment' or the |
| 2. Halogen lamps have a higher efficacy than normal | | | | 'total cost of ownership' of a proposed |
| incandescent bulbs. This means that they convert | | | | energy-efficient lighting solution for your home of |
| more energy into light and less into heat producing | | | | office, consider the value of quality light. What value |
| more light per watt than incandescent bulbs. A 60 | | | | do you place on reduced eye strain? For those that |
| watt halogen bulb will produce as much light as a | | | | care about their eyes and their sanity, the |
| traditional 100 watt bulb. Halogen bulbs require | | | | advantages of halogen lighting will almost certainly |
| effectively 40% less power than standard | | | | make it the choice over other energy-effective |
| incandescent options. | | | | alternatives. |