When you hear the term halogen bulb, often the first thing that comes to mind is the halogen torchiere lamp popular a few years back. Those old 300-watt torchiere bulbs held some risk as a fire hazard, and were inefficient light sources as the majority of the light was directed up toward the ceiling. The good news is, halogen technology has come a long way since then!
While it’s true that halogen bulbs do get quite hot, so do standard incandescent bulbs, and combustible materials should always be kept at a distance from any type of bulb. New safety standards require halogen bulbs to have a glass cover to reduce the risk of fire.
Halogen bulbs are a great choice where a bright, high quality, precisely focused illumination is needed. They are appropriate for task lighting, such as over a kitchen counter. Halogen bulbs are slightly more energy efficient than standard incandescent bulbs, but not as energy efficient as compact fluorescent bulbs. Halogen bulbs are also long lasting, with an average lifetime of 2,000-3,500 hours. Compare this to 750-2,500 hours for standard incandescent bulbs.
When conditions call for a bright, focused and long-lasting bulb, halogens will fill the bill. |
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