What are Lumens?
Lumens (lm) are a measurement of the amount of light a bulb gives out; or in simple terms, the brightness of a bulb. Up to a couple of decades ago, we had always related brightness to the amount of energy (watts) consumed.
With the development of energy efficient lighting, we see that bulbs are capable of producing high amounts of light while consuming much less energy compared to our old incandescent bulbs.
See our handy chart to convert Watts to Lumens:
Buying the right lamps and bulbs
We should look at lumens as opposed to wattage when thinking about the brightness of the lamp. While we may be accustomed to shopping for bulbs according to wattage, lumens are actually a more accurate measurement of how bright your light will be.
Please note that the lumen value does not affect the colour temperature of the lamp. Find out more about colour temperature here.
Improving Energy Efficiency
You are now able to make your home even more energy efficient by buying bulbs which used less energy, without having to compromise on brightness.
For instance, if you usually purchase 40W incandescent bulbs, which have light outputs of about 400-600 lumens, consider purchasing a more efficient alternative like a 28W halogen bulb, 9W compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb, or even a 6W LED bulb to achieve the same brightness.
For more information...
Read more about energy saving lighting here, an excellent resource for energy efficiency.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you are having trouble getting your head round lumens and watts, and we will try our best to help you! Our telephone number is 0345 605 2505, or drop us an email at customerservices@worm.co.uk if that is what you would prefer.