The competition is steep and the lighting designs are sensational.  Among the leaders in the race for the most unconventional ceiling light fixture designs of the year, these standouts are exquisitely different and–although they may not fit in with everybody’s interior design scheme–they make for mind-altering artistry that brings the “wow” factor to a select few who are daring enough to shine outside of the box!

TEN:  Attractively AKIMBO

“Akimbo” from Tech Lighting

NINE: Outer bound with ORION

“Orion” from ET2

EIGHT: Unearthing URCHINS

“Urchin” pendant light from Varaluz

SEVEN:  Cultivating CASSINI

“Cassini” from Trend Lighting

SIX: Mixing it up with MIMI

“Mimi” from Maxim Lighting

FIVE: Hoodwinked by HOUDINI

“Houdini” chandelier from Corbett Lighting

FOUR:  Zanny ZIUM

“Zium” from Elán Lighting

THREE: Captivating CATALYST

“Catalyst” from Fine Art Lamps

TWO: Metaphysical MICRO

“Micro” from Eurofase

ONE:  Spellbinding STRANDELIER

LEDs are at the forefront of light industry discussion because they are such a gamechanger when it comes to energy efficiency and lifespan. But how do recent developments to LED technology affect the everyday consumer? What’s the simplest way to navigate this uncharted territory when shopping for LED light bulbs? The very recent availability of an LED replacement for the common household incandescent lamp has created a world of new potential, and along with it a whole new set of standards. In this post, we will be discussing the various ways to distinguish between the different LED options.

Just a few years ago, an energy efficient LED bulb might have cost you $20 or more. But today, you may be able to get as many as six bulbs for that price, and consumers are taking notice.

LEDs were always extremely energy efficient and long lasting -- the high upfront cost was the last thing holding them back from being the obvious choice for most household lamps and fixtures. But while we waited for those prices to drop, many consumers turned to CFL bulbs -- the curly ones -- as a more affordable way to reduce their energy consumption.

Now that LEDs are so accessible, some homeowners are upgrading and wondering what to do with their collection of CFLs, some of which may have thousands of hours of light left in them.

Managing the Mercury

The primary reason why CFLs need to be handled and disposed of carefully is because each bulb contains a small amount of mercury. The mercury content is so low that you don’t need to worry excessively about health risks in the event of a broken bulb, but if thousands of CFLs pile up together in the same landfill, the combined mercury content could prove hazardous. Even in trace amounts per bulb, the risk of soil and water contamination is real.

To avoid this problem, every CFL bulb should be disposed of at a recycling facility, whether it’s broken, whole, burned out or still good.

Recycle Right

Not every recycling facility accepts CFLs. If you have curbside recycling, check the service provider’s website for information specific to CFLs. It may be that they’re able to collect and recycle these bulbs, but only if they’re packaged separately for disposal. Some facilities may require you to deliver CFLs yourself.

In addition to municipal recycling centers, CFL recycling is offered by many business, including hardware and electronics stores. If you’re looking for your nearest CFL recycling location, use Earth911’s recycling search tool.

Accidents Happen

CFLs are made of breakable glass -- a fragile barrier containing the mercury vapor within. Because of the low mercury content, you don’t need to call out the hazmat team if you accidentally break a bulb. But as a precaution, you should still treat cleanup more seriously than you would with an ordinary incandescent bulb.

If a CFL bulb breaks, immediately clear the area of people and pets. If possible, open a window or door to ventilate the room. Turn off the HVAC system so that the mercury isn’t circulated throughout the home.

When it’s time to clean up the mess, leave the vacuum behind. Like your HVAC system, it can blow the mercury vapor around your home. Instead, sweep up all the glass and bulb components into a dustpan and deposit them into a plastic bag.

Use a damp paper towel to wipe down the area, and if necessary, use sticky tape to collect small glass shards. Place all cleaning materials into the bag and seal it up. Afterward, take the bag to your nearest CFL recycling location for safe disposal.

And if you need help with more substantial lighting issues, don’t take the risk of playing with electricity alone -- call up your local, licensed electricians.

When a fire breaks-out, most people just assume that it’s been caused by some inflammable substance. While that might be the case, it’s important to keep in mind that fires can also be caused by electricity. The one thing to keep in mind is that an electrical fire can’t be doused by water. Faulty or old electrical installations can lead to a fire and cause untold damage to life and property.

There are times when the electrical equipment or appliances in an electrical system can be the cause of overheating & overload, which can end up causing a fire. So, exactly what is it that causes an electrical fire? There are three main reasons, let’s take a detailed look at what these are and what can be done to prevent this from occurring:

Some properties have wiring that is decades old and electrical wires do tend to deteriorate with age. In fact, if the wiring in your house is over 15 years old, the recommendation is that you should get the entire property rewired. Older wiring wasn’t designed to bear the electricity load that current-day appliances demand. At times the electrical contractor might have cut corners and installed wiring of poor quality and this can lead to a similar problem, both of which can result in fires.

Arcing is quite a common problem with electrical wiring. As mentioned earlier, most homes have a range of heavy-duty electrical appliances. When you run a number of these appliances simultaneously in your home, it results in overloading and overheating of the wires. If the wiring is old, it will get heated up which will cause the insulation around it to melt – this results in arcing and an electrical fire may erupt too.

There are times when electrical wires are just too close to an external heat source which causes the outer insulating sheath of the wiring to melt. If this goes unnoticed, it can result in an arcing and fire.

Regardless of what has caused the electrical fire, if you attempt to contain it by pouring water on it that will escalate the issue. Water doesn’t have any effect on electrical fires; in fact, if you try to use water to douse an electrical fire, you can get electrocuted. What you need to deal with an electrical fire is a Class C fire extinguisher.

This type of extinguisher has dry chemicals that help contain the fire. Depending on how severe the fire is, it might be possible to completely bring it under control using a Class C fire extinguisher. If you don’t have this extinguisher, baking soda might help to some extent.

In case there is a break-out of fire on your property, the first thing you should do is switch off the power-mains; this is effective in containing the fire. Ideally every home and commercial establishment should have a Class C fire extinguisher or two, based on the size of the property and that should be used in case of any fire in the electrical wiring. An electrical fire is an electrical emergency and it’s crucial that you keep the number of a local, reliable electrician handy.

Never try to fix any electrical issues on your own. That can only lead to more complications and will compromise the safety of your property. We at Allround Electrical can rectify all types of electrical faults and we provide a range of electrical services. For more information, contact our friendly team today at this number – 1300 169 263. You can also write to us at this email address. You may also reach us through this online contact form.

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