This episode of Operation Build aired nationally on the History Channel Saturday morning, April 18th at 8 am and on H2 April 25th at 7:30 am.  In case you missed it, here is the link…

See a home transformed as good lighting turns into great lighting with the latest innovation and exquisite lighting design. 

Architect/Lighting Designer Joseph A.  Rey-Barreau and Capitol Lighting President Eric Lebersfeld meet Operation Build.

Lebersfeld of Capitol Lighting and Rey-Barreau of the American Lighting Association (ALA) invite us in for an exclusive tour of one of South Florida’s luxurious estates as secrets of turning good lighting into great lighting are revealed.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get the latest lighting information and see for yourself how great lighting makes a world of difference in the look and feel of your environment.

With so many options in LED (light emitting diode) and CFL (compact fluorescent) lamps, the creative design capabilities are vast and lighting designers are implementing decorative schemes that are truly amazing.  Rey-Barreau offers the latest lighting techniques and an insider’s view of the incredible changes taking place in the lighting industry.

See more with Rey-Barreau at 1800lighting.com:

Who doesn’t love recessed lighting? It is never out of style to have lighting subtly tucked into the ceiling, leading many homeowners to use recessed lighting in numerous rooms. We love recessed lighting at Electrical Gurus, and have installed plenty of them for Des Moines home and business owners over the years; however, there are instances when recessed lighting isn’t enough on its own or should be avoided altogether. Your local electricians are here to share when you should consider reining in your recessed lighting.

Providing a space with ambient lighting, as shown in our previous blog, is a crucial component when creating inviting, warm and properly illuminated spaces in your home. Too much of a good thing is definitely possible with recessed lighting, and it should never be used in place of all other light sources. Not only will your spaces lack task lighting, but you will be effectively illuminating your space from directly above, requiring far more light (and energy) to brighten the space; odds are, even with the lights cranked up, you’ll still have a dull, cavelike look to walls and corners with only directly downward light. Accent your recessed lighting with outward or upward ambient or accent lighting to create a more balanced lighting display.

Often, we see a single recessed light over a vanity, which can lead to a displeasing lighting effect. Just as with your home’s furniture, using only a direct overhead light creates unsightly shadows and does not properly illuminate the face. Using an overhead light on your vanity is great, but should always be accompanied by frontward facing lights to properly see your face.

Placing recessed lighting in tall ceilings is an odd concept. The primary benefit that recessed lighting provides is space efficiency, as the cans are placed above the ceiling, hiding the house wiring and electrical components. In a tall ceiling, not only is this unnecessary, but the light has to start from an even higher point. By the time the light reaches the room below, it is spread out and weaker, leading homeowners to use far more energy to brighten their rooms. Additionally, the shadows around the lighting cans will be especially prominent, leading to an ultimately darkened room. Instead, utilize hanging lights, fixtures, wall-mounted sconces, or even ground level lamps to brighten your taller rooms.

While it may sound like we’re beating up on recessed lighting, that is only because it is one of the most versatile lighting sources, which leads people to incorrectly believe that it is perfect in any room or as the only light source. As part of a comprehensive lighting strategy, recessed lighting is nearly unmatched in its widespread application and ease-of-use, just be sure to remember these helpful tips from your friendly, local Des Moines electricians at Electrical Gurus. Give us a call for help in planning out and installing your home’s ideal lighting solutions today!

Get in touch with our Des Moines electricians today!

When we talk about replacing commercial and industrial lighting, we always try to alleviate the current costs that old and inefficient lighting fixtures incur while keeping (if not improving) our current quality of light in place. This is done with the obvious options such as:

With any lighting technology, whether that be Metal Halide, HPS, Florescent, or LED, they all suffer from something we call lumen depreciation.

Lumen depreciation is the process in which the total output of lumens a fixture produces decreases during its life. The rate at which a fixtures lumens depreciate can depend on a multitude of factors which include (but are not limited to): the type of lighting technology used, total hours used, and various other factors.

Did you know that florescent and LED lighting are typically the lowest to depreciate it’s lumens, while technology like Metal Halide and HPS are typically the fastest to depreciate it’s lumen output?

While LED is the the winner overall, florescent lights aren’t too far behind and not nearly as bad as Metal Halide or HPS lights. Here at MyLEDLightingGuide, we would recommend you get an LED for a lot more reasons then just slower lumen depreciation. email us directly.