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Lots of different types of lights. Center of image, it says, '30+'

Light lessons

The average Ontario home has 30 light fixtures.

The latest bulbs are light years ahead in efficiency, which means making your home look good can save on energy too!

Already swapped?

Top 5 Most Frequently Used Lights

Prioritize upgrades in these places to watch your savings light up.
  • Kitchen Ceiling

  • Living Room Table

  • Living Room Floor

  • Bathroom Vanity

  • Outdoor Porch Light
Need to dispose of old CFLs?
Although they only contain a small amount of mercury, CFLs should not be put in your garbage or blue box.
  • • Drop off burned out lights at your municipal waste depot
  • • Some retailers, such as RONA and IKEA, also accept used CFLs

Comparison chart

Switch to which?

Use this bulb-to-bulb comparison for smart shopping

 Traditional
incandescent 		Halogen
incandescent 		CFL LED
​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Efficiency Very low Low High Very High
Lifetime (hours) 1,000 2,500 to 5,000 8,000 to 10,000 15,000 to 50,000
Disposal Landfill Landfill Hazardous waste facility Recyclable
Dimmable? Yes  Yes  Yes
Yes*
*Check product packing to ensure your dimmer is LED compatible

Traditional
incandescent
​ ​
Efficiency Very low
Lifetime (hours) 1,000
Disposal Landfill
Dimmable? Yes

Halogen
incandescent
​ ​
Efficiency Low
Lifetime (hours) 2,500 to 5,000
Disposal Landfill
Dimmable?  Yes

CFL
​ ​
Efficiency High
Lifetime (hours) 8,000 to 10,000
Disposal Hazardous waste facility
Dimmable?  Yes

LED
​ ​
Efficiency Very High
Lifetime (hours) 15,000 to 50,000
Disposal Recyclable
Dimmable?
Yes*
*Check product packing to ensure your dimmer is LED compatible


LED lifespan

Illustration image of a man holding a dog in his lap while sitting on a couch
Put an LED in your living room and it will not have to be replaced until Fido's grown from a young pup to an old dog.

Say hello to a long life of savings

LED lighting uses 75 per cent less energy

LEDs are compact, do not emit heat and can last more than 25,000 hours.

That is 22-30 years of average household use!

Learning lingo

Lighting lingo

Know your Lumens and Kelvins

Watts
The energy a bulb uses

Lumens
The amount of light produced (brightness)

Kelvin
Colour (appearance)

Watts (incandescent) to Lumens (LED) 

60W → 800 lm

75W → 1,100 lm

100W → 1,600 lm

When you are replacing inefficient bulbs, be sure to match the old wattage with new lumen measurements to figure out brightness.

Colour temperature (Kelvins)
colour gradients from yellow to blue

Warmer, Yellow
2700K - 3000K

Cooler, Daylight
5000K - 6500K

QUICK TIP

While personal preferences vary, typically warmer yellow light is best for bedroom and living areas. Cooler is best for kitchens and workspaces.

6 colours going from a yellowish colour to a blueish colour, going from 2700k to 6500k

Gadgets

Beyond the bulb

Great gizmos that save energy for you

Used separately or in tandem, these control technologies save energy by reducing lighting use, and they are among the simplest, least expensive energy-management devices available.

a device plugged into the wall with the time on it

Perfect timing

  • Programmable timers switch lights on/off at pre-set times

  • Portable timers plug into an outlet to automatically control lamps, holiday lights, portable fans and more.

  • In-wall permanent timers replace standard switches for programmed control of lights, heaters, motors, etc.

  • Compatible with LEDs and CFLs (check packaging)

a light fixture sensing the room

Ditch the switch

  • Motion sensors automatically respond to your presence

  • Increase efficiency, safety and convenience

  • No more fumbling for switches or forgetting to turn lights off

a dimmer switch

Dim your light

  • Save energy

  • Enhance ambience

  • Dimmer switches make even incandescent bulbs more efficient



 
Did you know?
LEDs never actually burn out. They dim very slowly over time.

More Advantages
1
  Resistant to shock and vibration
2
  Stay relatively cool to the touch
3
  Perform well indoors and outdoors

Shopping made simple

Flood or globe? Pick the right light for each fixture

When you are shopping for replacements, be sure to choose the right shape:
A-Shape

for floor lamps

Flood

for outdoor pots or security lights

Globe

for vanity bars and table lamps

Flame / Candelabra

for chandeliers and wall sconces

Need to Know

Nutrition-style labels on bulb packaging give you a heads up about efficiency and appearance. Look for lumens and Kelvins here!

illustration of a woman turning on a lamp

Already swapped?

If you have already upgraded to LEDs, follow these tips to maximize bulb life:
  • 1
    Always match enclosed light fixtures to the right kind of LED bulbs

  • 2
    Ensure your dimmer switches are designed for LEDs

  • 3
    Exposed outdoor bulbs can be affected by extreme temperatures above 40°C