IN THIS POST
– Types of Light Bulbs
– Shapes of Light Bulbs
– Bases of Light Bulbs
– Watts vs Lumens
– Colour Temperature
Did you know that choosing the right light bulbs is just as important as choosing the perfect light fixtures and lampshades for your home? Though most homeowners may not realize this, the types of light bulbs they choose can have a huge impact on the style and ambience of each room.
There are quite a few different kinds of light bulbs available in the market nowadays, each with their own distinctive properties and price tag. If you want to brighten up your place but are a little confused by all the choices placed on the shelf of your local hardware store, here is a guide that will help you buy the perfect light bulbs for your home.
Let’s start with different types of light bulbs in Pakistan.
Different Types of Light Bulbs
These are the main types of bulbs you can choose from:
- Incandescent light bulbs
- Halogen light bulbs
- LED bulbs
- Fluorescent light bulbs
Let’s discuss these light bulbs in more detail.
Incandescent Light Bulbs
These are the most widely available and affordable light bulbs in Pakistan. In fact, before the introduction of LED bulbs and energy savers, the incandescent light bulbs were the only ones used in both residential and commercial settings. These bulbs consist of a tungsten-filament placed inside an air-tight glass enclosure, which emits a warm light after being turned on.
These bulbs can be used with dimmer switches and can last up to a year. They also don’t contain mercury. However, the biggest disadvantage of incandescent light bulbs is that they are not very energy efficient.
Halogen Light Bulbs
The halogen light bulbs are relatively smaller in size, making them a perfect option for hanging pendants, under cabinet lighting, wall sconces and recessed lighting in homes. These bulbs emit a bright, crisp white light that simulates daylight. They use halogen gas to increase their light output, which makes them much more energy-efficient compared to incandescent bulbs. Halogen light bulbs are also dimmable.
On the flip side, these affordable lights for your home tend to burn out rather quickly. By an estimate, if a halogen bulb remains turned on for 6 to 8 hours every day, it may last up to 4 months. Another big drawback of these types of bulbs for home is that they get warm very quickly. Not only that, but halogen bulbs can actually explode if they get too hot.
LED Bulbs
The new Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are currently the most popular types of light bulbs used in homes across Pakistan. Since they consume a lot less energy than others on the list, LED light bulbs can help cut down your electricity bill while properly illuminating your home. Unlike traditional transparent bulbs, these have an opaque outer shell that helps emit a bright and crisp light. Moreover, LED bulbs do not heat up or contain mercury, which is both pretty important advantages.
These energy-saving light bulbs are perfect for task lighting and can last for several years on end. Even if they get dim with time, you can simply take them to a hardware store to get repaired. The only prominent downside to installing these bulbs is that they are slightly more expensive than the other types. Nonetheless, given their lifespan and energy efficiency, buying LED bulbs is akin to an investment.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
These are officially known as Compact Fluorescent or CFL light bulbs. However, you may know them as energy savers. Before LED bulbs became common, these energy-efficient bulbs were all the rage. The compact fluorescent light bulbs are available in a range of shapes, sizes, base types and colour temperatures. If you want to brighten up a larger area, such as the living room or drawing-room, these bulbs may be your perfect option.
The most notable advantage of buying CFL light bulbs is that they are both repairable and recyclable. Moreover, energy savers are much less expensive than LED bulbs and have a longer lifespan compared to the incandescent ones.
However, these budget-friendly light bulbs do not work with a dimmer switch and contain mercury. That means you must be extremely careful while handling the.
If you are a little confused about different types of light fixtures, don’t forget to take a look at this guide on the best type of lighting for each room.
Most Common Shapes of Light Bulbs
Bulbs are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Since every light fixture is different in size and appearance, you need to check their requirements and dimensions in order to buy a bulb that would fit without a problem.
These are the common shapes of light bulbs used in Pakistan.
- Standard light bulbs
- Globe-shaped bulbs
- Spiral light bulbs
- Capsule light bulbs
- Candle-shaped bulbs
- Tube bulbs
- Angular light bulbs
Different Light Bulb Bases and Fittings
Each light fixture requires a different type of bulb fitting. Therefore, you must make sure to properly read the instructions on your light fixture to know which type of cap fitting you have to choose. If you end up buying a bulb with wrong cap fitting, it won’t fit into your light fixture.
There are several different light bulb bases available in the market. Here are the most common ones:
- Screw bases
- Twist and lock bases
- Pin bases
Watts vs Lumens: What’s the Difference?
You must have noticed the wattage of the bulb written on top of its packaging. This indicates how much energy that light bulb would use. Since watt is a unit of power, the higher the wattage a light bulb requires, the more electricity it will consume. However, bulbs of higher wattage are brighter than those of lower wattage. However, with the advancement in technology, the newer bulbs such as LED and CFL emit brighter light despite having low wattage.
On the other hand, lumens refer to the brightness of the light bulb or the amount of light it emits. Although a lot of people get confused between watts and lumens, they are completely different things with no certain correlation. Nevertheless, much like watts, higher lumen bulbs shine brighter than the ones with lower lumens.
As per the experts, your home must have 20 lumens per square foot. Of course, you can add to that number if the room has dark walls or panelling.
Colour Temperature of Light Bulbs
Colour temperature is an easy way to describe the appearance of the light emitted by a light bulb. The unit Kelvin or K is used to denote it and is usually marked on the packaging along with the words ‘cool’ or ‘warm.’
Here is a colour temperature chart to help you determine which of the types of light bulbs you need to buy for each room in your house.
Candlelight
These light bulbs are between 1,000 and 2,000 K. They emit a soft but dim glow, much like that of candlelight.
They are typically used for ambient lighting.
Warm White
These bulbs are between 2,600 and 3,000 K and emit a warm white light. Most incandescent light bulbs have this colour temperature.
These bulbs are ideal to be used in living rooms, drawing rooms and bedrooms.
Neutral or Cool White
Bulbs with 3,000 to 5,000 K emit a cool white-coloured light. Most LED bulbs give off a neutral or cool white glow.
You can use these bulbs for task lighting in your bathroom, kitchen, and even the home office.
Daylight
As the name suggests, these bulbs provide bright and crisp light that simulates daylight. These bulbs are more than 5000 k and are ideal for outdoor and security lighting. You can install it in your desk lamp to illuminate the area.
Hopefully, this guide must have answered some of your most pressing questions about different types of bulbs in Pakistan. If you have any comments or feedback, feel free to get in touch with us by dropping an email at blog@zameen.com.
Furthermore, here are some amazing lighting ideas to spruce up your apartment. You can also take a look at our guides on different types of lamps as well as ideas for landscaping lighting fixtures.
To learn more about how to make your home look brighter, stay tuned to Zameen Blog – the top lifestyle and real estate blog in Pakistan. Moreover, don’t forget to subscribe to the Zameen Blog and Facebook page for the latest updates on home décor, construction and property trends in the country.
