Don't Get Left in the Dark Over Light Bulbs

It is very difficult to imagine a world without light bulbs. Before they were invented, continuing to see after nightfall was a messy and time consuming business. It took a large number of torches or candles to provide adequate light in a medium sized room, let alone a large one. One form of lamp that was used before light bulbs were prevalent was the oil lamp. Although it was fairly effective it left a small quantity of soot on anything in the immediate vicinity. After their invention in 1879 light bulbs quickly became an intrinsic part of everyday life. They are made from a handful of components and are readily available in all parts of the world.

It is a little known fact that the majority of electrical current that is consumed in the modern world is used to power the electric light bulb in places of work, homes and on the street. There are many form of light bulb that include incandescent, halogen, fluorescent and xenon. Each sort of bulb has different properties and each are chosen on their merits. If you want to save money and are not worried about instant light then you may be prepared to wait for a fluorescent tube to light up rather than have the immediacy of an incandescent bulb.

One of the major recent advances in light bulb technology is the emergence of the LED bulb. This is many more times efficient when compared to a fluorescent bulb and at least 40 times more efficient than a standard incandescent bulb. A combination of different color LED bulbs in the home or office can have the effect of enhancing the beauty of our homes and can make the office a more welcoming place to be. LED bulbs are packaged in such a way as to be a direct replacement for standard bulbs and, although they cost a little more at the outset, they last up to 10 times longer and will quickly repay the extra cost with the corresponding reduction in energy bills.

Another form of light bulbs that are widely used are the halogen variety. These are used extensively indoors and out. They give a clear crisp light and also quite a high degree of heat. This has been exploited in some areas where an excess of halogen lights have been installed to provide light but also, as a by product, to warm up the area as well. Halogen floodlight bulbs are used externally in conjunction with infrared sensors to provide security lighting. The infra-red sensors detect movement in an arc in front of the bulb and this triggers the halogen light to come on, illuminating the subject and acting as a deterrent to any unwanted visitor.

If it’s true sunlight replacement you are looking for then you need full spectrum light bulbs. These bulbs provide exactly the same light spectrum that you get from sunlight. They have many uses within the scientific and medical profession and are also widely used to mimic sunlight for plants that are grown indoors.

Continue reading...

Remember The Good Old Days When Buying A Vacuum Cleaner Was Easy?

Until quite recently the vacuum cleaner was a humble servant of domestic cleaning; locked away for the most part and unloved. But how times have changed? Those were the days before Oreck promised to lighten our load, before Dyson bamboozled us with science and garish colours, and Miele offered us ultimate cleaning power with the stylish lines of a German sports car.

It used to be so simple. You either bought a model from a door-to-door salesman or you went to your local hardware shop and bought pretty much the same sort of vacuum your parents bought. The vacuum cleaner hadn't changed in eons. It was what it always was; heavy, rather ugly and noisy. But not anymore.

These days the hapless buyer is overloaded with the latest technical advances, beguiled by the latest colour and styling and confused by the slick marketing techniques used to push these 'design icons' upon us. So how do you make that difficult choice? How do you buy the right vacuum cleaner and avoid universal ridicule from friend and family? If you are thinking of buying a vacuum cleaner, you should think about the following points. Only by knowing what your requirements are can you make the right choice.

What type of flooring do you have? The vacuums of today are specialist - in case you didn't know. You'll want to buy a certain make of vacuum for fitted carpet from a vacuum that's going to be used for hardwood flooring. You'll need to pay close attention to the vacuum heads. Also, what type of attachments will you needs? Do you have curtains to clean? Windowsills? High alcoves?

Canister or Upright? Back in the good old days just about all came as upright. Then someone had the bright idea of the canister! But seriously, do you have a lot of stairs? If so, you may prefer the canister. But if you have fitted carpets you may prefer the greater suction power afforded by most uprights? Which do you find easier to handle. Most think that a canister is easier to handle but Dyson have recently introduced a ball into the head of the upright model, making handling much easier.

What's all this bagless nonsense? Until Dyson came along most vacuum cleaners were fitted with bags. Now most manufacturers offer bag or bagless models. Bagless models claim to offer suction power that never diminishes, even when the dust compartment is nearly full. They also allow you to see what has been sucked up, and easy retrieval - handy when you've just vacuumed up something you shouldn't have. However, emptying a bagless vacuum can be a messy affair for some people.

A filter used to be a piece of foam in most vacuum cleaners. Not anymore. These days many people are concerned and affected by allergens in the air. Vacuum cleaner manufacturers have responded by introducing HEPA filters. The problem with older vacuums is that a certain amount of dust was sucked in and blown back into the atmosphere. Vacuums fitted with HEPA remove 99. 97 percent of particles 0. 3 micron in diameter (or larger) from the air that passes through them.

Attachments and Extras: What attachments do you require? What length of electrical cord would you like? You should buy a model that has at least 20 feet of cord. The hose should be at least 5 foot long.

Service: This is one thing that hasn't changed. Top manufacturers have always prided themselves on after sales service. This is still true today. However, some models of vacuum cleaners are more expensive to repair than others.

Finally, how much are you prepared to pay? The rule of thumb is that the more you pay the better the product you'll be getting. But this isn't always so. Some manufacturers rely very much on their reputation; as a consumer you usually pay for this.

Continue reading...