Light Bulbs Change your TV channel

Does your light bulb change your TV channel, it must not like what you are watching.

I've never heard of this before but if the manufacturers say its true then it must be. Have a look at this article.

Telegraph article

Basically when the bulb starts up and flickers it interferes with the TV.

Just to note - it is for old low energy bulbs. New ones don't flicker they really have come on a long way.

Who invented the light bulb

Ever wondered about the light bulb and where it came from. Check out this BBC page. So Edison didn't invent the light bulb then. We learn something new each day.

One of the first electric light bulbs

Optimizing light in the home

Replacing a light bulb is not the only thing you can do to maximise the light in your home. Studdies show that light affects people more than we realise, bright light sets the pace of our bodyclock which is why many people suffer from feeling tired, having less energy and sleeping more during the darker months, commonly known as the "winter blues" . In some cases this is more pronounced and people suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which can be alleviated with additional daylight from special bulbs.

Below are some simple steps to maximise the amount of light in your home.

1. Clean your windows regularly. Natural daylight is the best type of light possible, not only is it free but it also helps to heat the home during winter.
2. Add mirrors. A mirror will bounce light around a room making the room appear bigger and brighter.
3. Clean lamp shades. The lamp shade or diffuser is not just there to hide the bulb it acts to angle the light and dispearse it into the room. A dirty light fitting can reduce the amount of light in the room making you install higher wattage bulbs than you really need.

Once you have ready this just check your light fittings now, you will be surprised what a difference these steps will make.

Some energy companies are sending out free light bulbs. If you receive some through the post and didn't ask for any then please complain. The government has banned this type of behavior because it is very wasteful.

They are just doing it to meet their requirements for reducing energy consumption.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

From everyone at Housesafe have a great festive season, we certainly will. Come back in the new year to see what's in the sale.

How to Hide a Smoke Detector

First of all why do you have a smoke detector? Ans- To give you a warning of a fire to enable you to get the fire brigade out and stay safe.

So where is the best place to install the smoke detector to maximise its effectiveness? Ans- on the ceiling. In a standard domestic house with rectangular shaped, box rooms you would put the smoke detector exactly in the middle of the ceiling, so that if a fire started in any point of the room it would have an equal chance of detecting it.

But again in most rooms what is in the center of a ceiling? Ans- A light fitting, again because this is the most logical place to put it.

However, because smoke detectors rely upon air flow, it cannot be positioned too close to another object, in case smoke is deflected away from the detector. This is why when you look up at a ceiling you have a smoke detector installed off centre to one side of the room.

But what if the smoke detector was the light fitting.

Housesafe have a smoke detector that combines as a ceiling light pendant that you can use for your main room light. This way your smoke detector isn't another device on your ceiling just part of the room light.

Smoke can still get at the detector and your room still has a light in the middle. It truly is the best of both worlds.

Buy your housesafe smoke detector direct from the manufacturer. Click here

There are many other factors you need to consider, such as placing the detector in a position that it would awaken a sleeping person or next to air vents and you should consult a qualified electrician for further information.

End of a Tradition

The 1st of September 2009 saw the beginning of the end of the traditional incandescent bulb. A 100 watt or higher bulb cannot be manufactured anymore, but they can still be sold. Under new EU legislation the incandescent light bulb is being phased out over a period of years. 150 watt bulbs went some time ago but it's passing did not invoke such furor as the ending of the 100 watt version, perhaps because not that many people used a 150 watt bulb. Along with the 100 watt and above all frosted bulbs of any rating are also banned, and by 2012 ALL incandescent bulbs will not be allowed into the EU.

So why the outcry?

We are used to cheap, instant light and the main alternative, compact fluorescent lamps, do not (yet), offer these. But was there an outcry when 4 star petrol was banned (probably, I'm too young to remember), but are we bothered now? Was there a problem when laws governing the use of child booster seats in cars was changed? Kind of; there was a little grumbling but we all understand that it is better for our kids so we have forgotten and moved on. So yes CFL light bulbs do cost more and they don't give full instant light, but once you have changed to them and realised the benefits after time you will wonder what the problem was all about.

Traditional Lamp Phaseout Timetable

2009 - 100W (A-shaped)

2010 - 60W (A-Shaped)

2011 - 40W / 25W (GLS A-shaped, candle, golfball)

We have no choice, we will have to change from the traditional incandescent bulbs to either CFL's or LED's, and it probably is a good idea, even if we don't like it. But the manufacturers are making big inroads into their light output and quality and very soon we won't remember any upset about this new legislation.