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When it comes to lighting your home, ensuring that you have the right lighting in your kitchen is very

important. The kitchen not just the place where we prepare food – it is also somewhere to socialise

and entertain.

Your kitchen lighting must be practical, so that you can have the right illumination for the cooking

tasks that you will perform in it. No two kitchens are the same, so the perfect lighting solution for

your kitchen will need to be designed with your habits and kitchen usage in mind – as well as your

budget and your individual sense of style.

Whether you are designing a kitchen from scratch, or improving the lighting in a pre-existing kitchen,

these tips will help you to illuminate your kitchen in a practical and attractive way.

Tips for Changing to LED

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As LED lighting becomes more popular, many people are making the switch over to this new and

innovative form of technology. Switching over has a number of benefits and it is a lot easier than you

might think.

However, many home owners have questions when they switch over to LED lights. They know that

making the switch will help them to save a lot of money on lighting expenses, but they just aren’t

sure how to get started. If you are thinking of changing over to LED lights in your home, here are

some tips that will help you to make sense of the many energy-efficient lighting solutions that are

available on the market today, so that you can choose the right LED bulbs for your needs.

Can You Replace One Bulb in a Circuit or fitting as They Go?

You might be wondering whether or not you can switch one of the light bulbs in a circuit or in a

fitting, such as a four light spotlight, without switching the others. Do you need to change all four

bulbs at once, or will the LEDs function alongside the halogen bulbs?

The answer depends on whether they are low-voltage bulbs or mains. The difference is that low

voltage bulbs have “pins” that connect them to the circuit and mains will have “pegs”. If they are

mains with pegs, there should be no problem. If they are low voltage bulbs with pins it is a little

more complicated.

However, in this situation it

makes sense to change all 4 bulbs

anyway, even if they are not

burnt out. This is because by

keeping the halogen bulbs in

there, you will be wasting a lot of

energy via heat and not really

saving money. It is a false

economy to wait until they burn

out to replace them, as the LED

lights will pay for the difference

and much more.

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What to do with the Old Bulbs you replace?

What should you do with the old halogen bulbs from your home? What if they are still functioning?

The best way to deal with them is to recycle them if you can. Don’t throw compact fluorescent tubes

into your general rubbish, because they contain mercury.

Do LEDs Work With Dimmer Switches?

Yes, it is possible to find LED lights that work with dimmer switches, which means that they are even

more versatile for use in your home. You might need to choose an LED compatible dimmer, as it will

be designed to handle a much lower load. Also, some bulbs will be designed with built-in circuitry to

manage their dimmers and others do not. Make sure that they have a logo on the box which states

that they are “dimmable”.

What “Colour” Of Light Should I Choose?

Light temperature is measured in Kelvin and

the “warmer” the tone of the light, the

lower the kelvin rating. A “warm” light

approx. 2700k will have a yellow tinge and a

“cool” light approx. 6000k will have a bright

white or even slightly bluish tinge. Choosing

one or the other simply has to do with

preference. Many people prefer to use

warm lighting inside, because it creates a

welcoming and cosy atmosphere. They tend

to use cool white lights outside, because

they are brighter and make it much easier

to see people and objects in the dark.

Also, some people use different colours

such as red, green and blue as decorative or

holiday lighting, which can really create a

fun and festive atmosphere.

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Low Maintenance and Easy to Install

LED lights are designed to be very easy to install and low maintenance due to their long lifetime as

compared to conventional bulbs therefore they need replacing less often. This means that if you

have a lighting fixture in a very awkward location that is hard to replace, LED lights will give you an

advantage and save you a lot of time and hassle. If at all possible, these should be the first LED lights

that you replace.

Uni-Directional Lighting

One of the advantages of using LED lighting is that it can be uni-directional, such as in the case of

LED strip lights that can be installed under your counter or kitchen cupboards. This can create a wide

and even spread of light providing very useful lighting that will help you when you are preparing

food or cleaning. LED strip lights are extremely flexible and versatile and they can be used almost

anywhere.

These are just a few things that you should know when you are switching your household over to

LED lights. Good luck with the switch and enjoy the many benefits that these lights can offer.

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Wattlite

494 Midsummer Boulevard,

Central Milton Keynes,

Buckinghamshire,

MK9 2EA.

Telephone: 0844 846 6352

Email: sales@wattlite.co.uk