When you get to the store, make sure you’re armed with the information you need to pick the right lights for your home. Getting the right light depends on two things:

• Brightness (lumens)
• Color of the bulbs (Kelvins)

Lumens – not watts – measure how much light or brightness you get from a bulb. More lumens mean a brighter light; fewer lumens mean a dimmer light.

Watts measure the amount of energy used. In fact, only 10 percent of the energy from incandescent bulbs goes toward lighting your home; the other 90 percent is wasted as heat. That’s why incandescent bulbs get hot to the touch.

CFLs produce the same amount of light, or lumens, as a traditional incandescent bulb while using significantly less energy. So when you replace your incandescent bulbs with CFLs, you’ll pay less to get the same amount of light.

CFLs are available in a range of colors that can create the mood you want to set in a room. Choosing the right CFL for the room begins with knowing the right color temperature.

Color temperature refers to the color of the light, not the level of heat, and is measured in Kelvin (K). Colors range from yellow/orange to white to bluish white. The greater the Kelvin temperature, the more blue the light.

The Lighting Facts label will help you decide which bulb to buy. This new label makes it easy to compare bulb brightness, color, life and the estimated annual operating cost. Look for the label on bulb packaging.

For more information, call us at (253) 502-8377 or e-mail power@cityoftacoma.org.