CFLs – Compact Fluorescent Lights – are a popular choice for most offices. They are fluorescent lights that emit light from phosphors inside the bulb and were designed to replace incandescent. They are seen as being a “good enough” solution for office lighting replacements, but are the really?

CFLs are the cheap solution. They are made of cheap glass, have toxic chemicals inside the bulbs, and aren’t even a good source of light. While fluorescent lights are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, they can still lead to higher electrical bills. In a lot of countries CFLs are beginning to be banned due to their toxic nature and difficulty to dispose.

On top of the toxic nature of CFLs, they also act as a sub-par light source. The light emitted from CFLs is UV, which can be hard on eyesight and can cause skin damage. While the amount of UV radiation from the lights is small, in an office space people are subjected to it continuously for over 8 hours a day. This amount of exposure to the light can lead to skin conditions such as photodermatoses and skin cancer.

The better solution for office lighting is LEDs.

Light emitting diodes, or LEDs for short, out perform every other lighting solution by far. They last longer, compare 1,000 hours for the average CFL to 100,000 hours for the average LED, have no toxic components, and the light has no emissions in the UV range, so it is completely safe. LED retrofitting has been incredibly popular for offices and warehouses over the past few years.

The only downside that some companies have with LEDs is their cost, as they do have a higher upfront cost than CFLs, but even this is technically incorrect. While an LED light does cost more per unit than CFLs, the amount saved in energy efficiency more than makes up the initial cost over the light’s lifetime. In the time that one LED bulb will last you, you’ll have to purchase upwards of 100 CFLS – so LEDs are much more cost efficient.

About Infinitum Energy: Infinitum Energy is one of the leading suppliers of high-quality LED lighting in Canada and the USA. Their goal is simple: to provide durable and bright LED lights for commercial and residential buildings. For professional LED lighting solutions and advice for your home or business, turn to the experts at Infinitum Energy. Contact them at 519-585-1533 or visit their web site at http://infinitumenergy.ca.