Have you ever wondered what would actually change if you switched to LED? You are probably too accustomed to the CFLs or tungsten lights you use right now, never done a long-term cost analysis and do not really imagine what kind of changes switching to LEDs will bring.

Let`s do a general cost analysis and compare the results of LEDs, CFLs and tungsten bulbs. I will take an electricity cost of 10 cents/KW and an average of 4 hours of light on per day, which means about 15000 hours of operating hours in ten years.

Let`s take the common tungsten lights first. If you have 10 incandescent bulbs in your small office, you will spend about $7.50 to purchase them and have an annual operating cost of approximately $84. Take into consideration that incandescent bulbs will be around for only 1000 hours (500 hours if you are lucky). There is also the additional cost generated by the fact that the air-conditioners will work harder to compensate for the heat emitted by the bulbs. Let`s see what happens in 10 years. In ten years, you will need to replace the light bulbs each year so in total you will spend $75 on the purchase and $840 on the bill, so $915 in total plus maintenance costs.

If you have 10 CFL`s in your small office you will spend about $110 to purchase them and have an annual operating cost of approximately $23. CFL`s will last for almost 10000 hours but they contain mercury and that could be a problem if you have people working for you and a hazard for the environment. If it is very cold or the lights are placed outside in the cold, they will need a couple of minutes to turn on and in some cases, they might not even work. Let`s see what happens in 10 years. In ten years, you will need to replace the light bulbs once and in total, you will spend $220 on the purchase and $230 on the bill so $450 in total plus considerable maintenance costs.

Now let`s see what happens if you have LED instead of CFL or Tungsten bulbs. If you have 10 LEDs in your small office you will spend about $390 to purchase them and have an annual operating cost of approximately $80. LEDs last will last for at least 50000 hours in any environment, whether is cold or warm, whether they suffer physical shocks or vibrations. Let`s see what happens in 10 years. In ten years you will not need to replace the LEDs and in total  you will spend $390 on the purchase and $80 on the bill, so $470 in total, but you will have no maintenance cost.

As you can see, it seems that incandescent bulbs are no option as they are the most expensive ones on the long term.

The first impression is that CFLs might be a little bit better than LEDs as the overall cost is a little bit lower (not counting maintenance costs).  The thing is that CFL will need another two or three replacements in the next years, while the LEDs will work just fine. In addition the maintenance cost will rise with the CFLs. CFLs are also a bio-hazard, they do not work always, take up a lot of space and give an unnatural light, so there are quite numerous advantages to LEDs when we compare them to CFLs so the slight disadvantage of LEDs in the first years can be easily ignored. Moreover, in 12 or 15 years the LEDs will prove to be more economical than all the other options.

Today’s lighting styles could very well take permanent hold for the future – mainly, focusing on sustainable and energy-efficient options that are becoming increasingly important even in vintage-inspired styles. Added to this are fun trends that are taking off in the moment.

Be ahead of the game by knowing 7 major lighting trends to look for in 2015:

1. Making the Switch to LEDs

This will come to no one’s surprise. Even those clinging desperately to their beloved incandescents (if there be such folks) know that LED lighting is here to stay. Remember, these oldies are being phased out as of 2014, meaning the U.S. will no longer import or manufacture these bulbs. Significantly, LED lighting is both practical and affordable as compared to other alternatives.

The demand for LED lighting, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom has grown exponentially according to residential architects. Costs for customers are also going steadily downward as their use becomes more ubiquitous. LED cabinet lighting is in especially strong demand, along with LED cove lighting.

Outdoor LED lighting is also on an upswing. Many consumers are enhancing their patios, pathways, porches, and gardens with additional lighting.

2. Clustering Glass Pendants

Pendant lighting is a hot item at the moment. Artisan glass pendants and bowls are important silhouettes that stand out for the next year.

Glass pendants are extremely versatile and transcend several décor styles. Glass pendant lights can be used to offer a direct source of light to a particular task area or can be a decorative accessory use to bring mood and color into a room. Clustering single-light pendants or hanging multi-light fixtures in gathering spaces like the living room or dining room, is another growing trend, with many consumers attracted to the sleek and timeless figures of these types of lights.

3. Chandeliers In New Places

Chandeliers are another item that used to be relegated to the dining room, weddings or a dramatic ball room. They were often seen as a glamorous object suited for only equally opulent surroundings. Now, these beauties are turning up in unexpected places; from kitchens and baths to laundry rooms.

Also, chandeliers aren’t just for the super-wealthy anymore. There are plenty of stunning, affordable options on the market today that will not sacrifice style.

Mini chandeliers fit into this category. With their small scale, they are just right for limited-size spaces such as bathrooms, attic bedrooms and small suites.

And, if you can easily afford it, the demand for traditional crystal chandeliers is coming into play once again. Many manufacturers are also willing to customize chandelier details which sees customers now willing spend extra for personalization.

4. Lighting Inside Drawers and Cabinets

Using a flashlight or turning on an overhead light to peer into a dimly-lit space is a thing of the past. There are simple and elegant solutions to this problem: they’re adding lighting inside those formerly-dark spaces.

You can use LED strip lights, motion detecting lights that use AAA batteries, or unlike  battery operated units, you can also use a strip system that turns on and off and is controlled by the contact between two magnetic switches. This model would need to be plugged into a power supply.

5. LED Lighting In the Shower

Rainshower heads with changing LED lights are a fun fashion in bathroom lighting that will be sure to take off in the next year. These heads are constructed of stainless steel and possess temperature sensitive LED lights, that will treat you to a dazzling display of color when you wash.

Well, they told us yesterday’s Super Bowl would be the greenest one to date, but they failed to mention that as part of the plan to save energy they were going to turn the lights out in the second half.

Just kidding. This year’s Super Bowl might go down in the books for its lighting “abnormality,” but certainly there were some “bright spots” about this year’s lighting as well. Today, I’m going to reflect on  both.

We were also enamored by the flashy lights in Beyonce’s halftime show. Seriously, this show was any lighting enthusiast’s dream. It had everything. A stage with insane video effects, a guitar with incredible pyrotechnics, and 72,000 fans wearing Image via USAToday.com

What actually caused this thing?

After the lights came back on and the game ended, Entergy New Orleans, the stadium’s energy provider, and Superdome operator SMG issued this statement in an attempt to “shed some light” on the situation:

“A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system. Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality.”

There are some home repairs you don’t want to tackle. Here are several red flags to look for when you’re buying a home.

common plumbing problems. Water damage is the homeowner’s mortal enemy. Water causes foundation problems, rot and mold. Want to move into that mess? Probably not.

To see if your potential purchase has suffered the consequences of water damage, start outside and

When you see water damage near an electrical outlet or a light fixture, you may have stumbled onto a fire risk. But outlets aren’t the only place to look for potential electrical problems.

Look for flickering and blinking, which signals a poor connection somewhere along the circuit. Check to see if both halves of electrical outlets are functioning. Make sure bathrooms, kitchens, garages and outdoors have professional electrician should determine whether the home’s circuits or fuses provide adequate power and service. The electrician can look for burned wiring, improper connections, dead-end wiring or ungrounded switches and outlets.

Your home inspector is a font of knowledge! Have the inspector check the air quality of the home to see if any mold spores are present — if water leakage or other common plumbing problems have been an issue, mold may be, too.

The inspector can ensure that the heating and cooling systems are properly installed. The inspector can also determine how old the HVAC system is and ensure that its been maintained

Your inspector will also determine the type of pipe that supplies water to the house—old lead and galvanized steel pipes are going to need replacing.

If the house you’re considering fails these tests, it may be best to move onto the next. If you still think it’s the right house for you, despite the presence of common plumbing problems or the need for an electrical overhaul, negotiate a lower price or ask the seller to pay for needed fixes.

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