Maintaining a property means that you are responsible for making the place safe, attractive and functional, and a big part of achieving that is maintaining the system of light fixtures that keep your property illuminated. Here are a few things you should know about your lights as time goes on and they begin to age.
Lamps lose power as they age, and their lights dim. Most incandescent lights aren't rated for more than 2,000 hours. Many LEDs are considered to be at the end of their useful life after 50,000 hours. The life expectancy of halogen and CFL bulbs fall in between these two extremes. For each type of bulb, the end of its useful life means it is down to 70% of the original light output. LED lights are a great investment but they do lose some of their light gradually. Higher operating temperatures can dim LED lights too. Manufacturers can provide the LLD (lamp lumen depreciation) factor for each lamp they sell you.
Experts recommend that you replace your bulbs all at once on a schedule that takes the LLD into consideration. You can work out with your lighting company when it is best to do this so that you get the most out of your lights and avoid a bunch of lamp burnouts.
Grime is an often-overlooked factor in how brightly a light shines. Dirt coats surfaces and blocks light that tries to pass through the bulb. To combat this, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70B standard for electrical maintenance suggests cleaning lamps when they dim by 15 to 20%.
Of course, how often that will be necessary will depend on a couple of things. How much dirt the lamp itself can accumulate varies by type. Manufacturers generally will tell you how quickly a light fixture attracts dirt with the LDD (luminaire dirt depreciation.) The IESNA Lighting Handbook rates them into Maintenance Categories I through VI, with I getting dirty the fastest and VI staying clean the longest. A lighting strip with no top or bottom enclosure will get dusty relatively quickly, for instance. Other types of lighting, such as lamps with covers, will be rated higher.
Another factor is how dusty your property gets. More dirt will get on the lights in an unventilated factory than in a clean showroom. Regardless, you will have to clean the fixtures once in a while to keep your place illuminated well. The LDD will give you an idea as to how often you need to do that.
The fixtures that hold the lights become less reflective as time passes. Light coverings can yellow with exposure to heat, and this will block light from the room. Nicks and dents absorb light. You will have to arrange to have your fixtures regularly inspected to catch these things. This will also give your electrician a chance to tighten fixtures into place, check that the wiring and ballast are in peak condition, and other aspects.
As you can see, there are many factors that degrade the quality of your lighting. That's why having a good lighting maintenance schedule is so important for the success of your lighting system. Lighting Services, Inc. would love to help you in this area. We can set up a lighting maintenance schedule that works with your business because we can set up annual, semi-annual, or monthly visits. If you are interested in having regular lighting maintenance, contact us for a free consultation.