Light bulbs comes in many different shapes and sizes. Using the wrong shape for an given lamp shade will cause the light bulb to not function correct within that lamp. Many people assumes that all light bulbs are usable in any fixture, but there is different shapes of light bulbs with specific requirements for how the light will distribute within the room.
Using the wrong kind of light bulb will create harsh shadow in some areas of the room or the light bulb will not provide enough light for perform necessary tasks within the room. The best method for determine which shape of light bulb should be used within a fixture is by using the ANSI coding system. Within this system, a letter and number is used to describe each kind of light bulb.
Choose the Right Light Bulb Shape and Size
The letter refer to the family of the light bulb. The number indicate the maximum diameter of the light bulb in eighth of an inch. For instance, A19 bulb are the most common kind of bulb in existence and are standard pear shaped bulbs.
Using the ANSI code for the light bulb will allow you to ensure that it will fit within the fixture. The different shapes of light bulbs will distribute the light from the bulb in different way. A19 bulbs are omnidirectional meaning that they emit light in a full circle.
Because of the way that they distribute the light, these bulbs is best for lamps with fabric shade. Reflective bulbs contains a mirror within the bulb that helps to push the light in a specific direction. For example, BR bulbs create a broad flood of light while PAR bulbs create a beam of light.
When you need a soft glow for areas like ceiling, you can use a BR light bulb. However, you may use PAR bulbs if you want to highlight certain item within a room like art. Globe bulbs are perfectly spherical in their shape.
These bulbs creates a shadow-free light. For this reason, they are often used in bathrooms for vanities. There are different size of these bulbs.
For instance, G25 bulbs are smaller in size than G40 bulbs. Using a G40 bulb in a small vanity may make the bathroom look like a mistake in lighting. Edison style bulbs are most often used for decorative lighting in a room.
These bulbs often use the filament shape as the main feature of the light bulb. An ST64 teardrop bulb may be used in a decorative pendant lighting a kitchen kitchen cabinet. However, such a bulb may not have the brightness need for reading the menu.
While such bulbs are decorative they must be used with care to ensure they are performing their main function within the area. Using the kind of light that is required in each room for different tasks will ensure the best use of each light bulb. For instance, kitchens requires precision lights so PAR30 and MR16 light bulbs is best used for these tasks.
Bedrooms need the soft glow of A15 or B11 candelabra bulbs. Using a high-definition spot light in a bedroom will make the area feel coldly while a soft light bulb will make the room bright but you will have to squint at objects in the room. Regardless of the kind of lighting needed in each room, it is always best to reference the dimension and the codes for each light bulb when you purchase the light bulbs to ensure that they will fit the fixtures and perform the necessary functions.