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approval from the government’s Energy Star program. The year 2010 will be the first year that LEDs for general home use will notice- ably stock shelves. While homeowners have already seen LED developments from Christmas lights to LED TVs, the ALA pre- dicts that LEDs will become predominant this year in lamps and replacement bulbs as well. The perks of LED are many. The long life of an LED bulb makes it ideal for use in hard-to-reach areas such as vaulted ceil- ings. In addition to long life, another ben- efit of LED is energy efficiency. “LED is very popular, and they’re com- considering the activities that occur in each room, the atmosphere you want to create and the decorative elements you wish to emphasize before choosing lighting options. Besides the fixture in the center of the room, additional lighting ideas can include wall sconces, a table lamp, a floor lamp or recessed lighting. For example, a great way to add light to a kitchen is to install undercounter lighting or uplights on top of cabinets. That’s where experts such as Fell and Ralls come in. They help people understand where to put light in their homes. “I wish we could get people to consider lighting even before they start building or start a remodel,” says Fell. “Lighting affects every other element of the room. If you have it done right the first time, you won’t have to do it again or add more lighting later.” There are three basic types of lighting that work together to light your home: general, task and accent. The ALA believes that a good lighting plan combines all three types: General Lighting provides an area with overall illumination. It can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wall-mounted fixtures and recessed or track lights. Task lighting helps you perform specific tasks. It can be provided by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting and por- table lamps. Accent lighting adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. As part of a decorat- ing scheme, it is used to spotlight paintings, sculptures and other possessions. Types of light bulbs Incandescent General These bulbs are inexpensive and avail- able in a variety of wattages and shapes. They produce a yellowish-white light. Tungsten-Halogen These bulbs produce a bright, white light. They have longer life and provide more light per watt than regular incandescent bulbs. They also maintain maximum effi- ciency throughout life of bulb. Fluorescent These bulbs use 1 ⁄5 to 1 ⁄3 as much electric- ity as incandescents and last up to 20 times longer. They are available in a wide spectrum of colors, and white tones best duplicate the color of incandescents. High-Intensity Discharge These bulbs have a longer life and pro- vide more light per watt than any other light source. They are typically used resi- dentially for outdoor security and land- scape lighting. Source: American Lighting Association New in 2010: LED that makes sense for the home Up until now, LED lights have not typi- cally been used residentially. There simply hasn’t been a large number of LED products on the market that make sense for home- owners who want lighting with lower oper- ating costs and longer life, but still want it to perform like an incandescent. But according to the American Lighting Association (ALA), lighting manufacturers are now adapting this energy-efficient tech- nology for household use. It has even won IDAHOFALLSMAGAZINE.COM | 41 ing out with more and more options” says Peggy Ralls, sales manager for Wolfe Lighting and Accents in Rexburg. “We stock LED can lighting, and they are great because your regular can light is 65 watts, versus 12 watts for LED. Plus the LEDs have a 50,000-hour life. You could literally