Energy & Bulbs
Choosing Energy-Efficient Bulbs
The habit of buying a bulb by its wattage comes from the incandescent era, when watts and brightness rose together. With LEDs that link is broken: a modern bulb can match an old one's brightness while drawing a fraction of the power. To choose well, read three things on the label instead of one.
1. Brightness is lumens, not watts
Lumens measure how much visible light a bulb produces. Watts measure how much energy it draws. Because LEDs are efficient, the wattage is low and uninformative about brightness, so the lumen figure is the number to compare. Packaging often prints a rough incandescent equivalent to ease the transition.
| Rough output | Approx. lumens | Old incandescent feel |
|---|---|---|
| Soft accent | around 450 | like a 40W bulb |
| General room | around 800 | like a 60W bulb |
| Bright task | around 1100 | like a 75W bulb |
| Very bright | around 1600 | like a 100W bulb |
Equivalents are approximate and vary by product.
2. Colour temperature is Kelvin
Kelvin describes the warmth or coolness of the light. Lower numbers look warm and yellow; higher numbers look cool and blue-white. The right choice depends on the room and the mood you want.
- Around 2700K — warm and relaxing, common in living rooms and bedrooms.
- Around 3000K — a soft white that suits many kitchens and bathrooms.
- 4000K and above — cool and neutral, useful in workshops and garages.
Keep a room consistent
Mixing colour temperatures in one room is the most common reason lighting looks off. Match the Kelvin value across fixtures you can see at the same time.
3. Fit: base and shape
A bulb only helps if it physically fits. The base is the part that connects to the socket, and the shape determines whether it sits properly inside a shade or recessed trim.
| Marking | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E26 / E27 | Standard medium screw base used in most household lamps. |
| E12 | Candelabra screw base for many chandeliers and decorative fixtures. |
| A19 | The familiar rounded household bulb shape. |
| GU10 / pin bases | Twist-and-lock or pin sockets common in track and recessed heads. |
Extra label details worth a glance
- Colour Rendering Index — higher values render colours more faithfully, which matters in kitchens and where you apply makeup.
- Dimmable — only dimmable bulbs belong on a dimmer, and they should be paired with a compatible dimmer to avoid flicker.
- Rated life — a longer rating means fewer replacements, especially helpful in hard-to-reach fixtures.
- Damp or wet rating — required for bathrooms, covered porches, and other exposed spots.
The Canadian angle on efficiency
Switching to efficient lighting is one of the simpler ways to reduce a home's electricity use. Natural Resources Canada publishes general guidance on energy efficiency and product labelling that can help frame the choice without relying on any single brand's claims.