Types of lamps and their indications

To light houses and apartments, four types of lamps are most used. In addition to the difference in the type of light they emit, they also differ in energy consumption and durability. Check out how they work and choose the ideal one for each room in your home.

Incandescent lamp

THE incandescent lamp is considered the most common – used for years in Brazilian homes. It has a metal filament that, when it receives energy, emits light, which is yellowish. “It is being used less and less because it consumes a lot of energy, to generate little lighting. Only 5% of the electricity it uses turns into light, the rest turns into heat”, explains Ugo Nitzche, architect and light designer. And that’s your second downside: when too many incandescent bulbs are used in a room, they tend to heat up the space. But they are still present in many Brazilian homes, whether in general lighting, or in light fixtures and lampshades, or inside crown molding (niches usually made of plaster). There are also incandescent reflector lamps, which direct the light, as they have a reflective painting on their side. Incandescent bulbs last a maximum of 1,000 hours, but they can burn out before that time for a variety of reasons, such as overheating.

halogen lamps

With gases inside the bulb, the halogen lamps produce a more targeted type of light. “Many have variety in the angle of the light beam, making it possible to highlight an object or detail in the environment”, says lighting designer Nidia Borelli. They use less energy than incandescents, but they also get hot and are not suitable for general ambient lighting. There are several types of halogen lamps: dichroic, PAR, AR and others.

Fluorescent lamps

THE fluorescent lamp became popular in Brazil at the time of the blackout, as it is a more economical alternative. These bulbs can generate up to eight times more light with the same amount of energy compared to incandescent bulbs. Every fluorescent lamp needs a ballast to work. They can be tubular (long tubes, commonly used in kitchens and offices) or compact (which can come with a built-in ballast and be placed in the same nozzle as the incandescent). The emitted light can be both white and yellow and in both cases, the lamp does not get too hot. Nidia Borelli claims that this type of lamp is very versatile and opens up numerous application possibilities: ceiling lights (recessed or overlapping lighting fixtures), pendants, built-ins and even effects in architecture such as crown molding, niches and holes in the walls.

LEDs

According to architects and decorators, the LEDs are the lamps of the future. They are increasingly popular, but have not yet gained much fame due to the price of each lamp, which can exceed R$90. incandescent. In addition, its durability, which can reach 50,000 hours, has boosted its fame. LEDs generate little light and are typically used inside crown molding or for compositing visual effects. To illuminate an entire environment, many LEDs are needed. But there is promise on the market that its luminosity will increase by 50% in two years. Despite their high prices, LEDs are often cost-effective because they reduce energy bills and last a long time, requiring little maintenance. But when buying an LED, you need to be careful: the market is full of brands and not all of them are of high quality, it is necessary to ask a professional in the area for a reference to know which one to buy.

Check out 25 projects with different types of lamps: