All You Need to Know About Choosing the Right Flood Lights for Your Home

When homeowners, businesses, and other organizations need more light to cover a greater area, many choose to install flood lights. Flood lights can effectively light up an entire area, providing a higher level of security, visibility, and convenience. There are several types of flood lights, each of which provide a unique lighting solution for its intended purpose.

Sodium vapor lights are the most energy efficient type of flood light. Low-pressure sodium lamps use a small amount of electricity to cause a small amount of sodium vapor to glow. This type of lighting produces a yellowish light, which some find unappealing, however these lights are the least expensive and most economical to operate. They are ideal for lighting areas where security is not a major concern as they have a slower response time and do not work well with motion detectors.

Halogen lights are popular among homeowners looking for a brighter, more natural light than the yellowish hue of sodium vapor. When activated, these lights use halogen gases and tungsten in quartz halogen bulbs to produce a bright white light. Despite the bright lighting they provide, they are less efficient than other types of flood lights and tend to generate more heat.

High-Intensity Discharge lights offer the highest efficiency rate amongst the five types of flood lights discussed here. These lights create an electric arc that glows and produces light which is emitted from the bulb. Although they are energy efficient and long-lasting, they take longer to reach full lighting and thus may not be suitable for those looking for a fast response time with a motion detector system.

Incandescent flood lights are the least expensive type of flood light but with that comes a much shorter life and higher energy consumption. Incandescent lights work by energizing an element vacuum sealed inside the bulb, creating an electric current that heats up and produces light.

Fluorescent flood lights have a slightly higher initial cost than incandescent lights, however they last much longer as they are made up of a mercury gas and phosphorescent coating. These lights activate when current passes through the coating and produces a bright, white light.

Flood lights are a great, easy to install and cost-effective way to add lighting to a larger area. Understanding the different types of flood lights and their advantages and disadvantages will give you a better idea of which type of flood lights best suit your needs. Whether you’re looking for added security around the home, improved light for parking lots or truck-loading ramps, or simply better visibility for public spaces, there is a flood light for every need.