What is the future of light bulbs? Many people might deny knowledge of this lighting category, but at Residential Landscape Lighting and Design we are on the cutting edge of the latest in light bulb technology available for your home or business. You will find a large selection of bulbs with efficiencies and brightness that Edison of which Edison would never have dreamed.

So what are the most modern of light bulbs? There are several types which rest on the cutting edge of technology. One category of modern light bulbs is that of high-intensity discharge (HID) lights. There are four main sorts of bulbs in this area. These include: high-pressure sodium lamps, metal halide lamps, mercury vapor lamps, and low-pressure sodium lamps. Metal halide lamps and mercury vapor lamps work in very similar manners. Mercury vapor lamps have a bit of mercury enclosed in the bulb. When electricity charges the mercury ??“ which is a metal and acts as a conductor ??“ the mercury creates a glowing vapor inside the bulb. Metal halide lamps are different only in the fact that they have another type of metal halide in with the mercury. The result is that metal halide lamps have double the efficiency of mercury vapor lamps.

For the highest efficiency of all our light bulbs take a look at our high-pressure sodium lamps. These light bulbs produce indoor, efficient lighting by electrically charging sodium vapor inside the bulb. The light from high-pressure sodium bulbs is perfect for any environment where the color of what is illuminated is important. We do not have low-pressure sodium lamps due to the poor quality of the light's color. Street lighting, where color is not as high a priority is the main use for low-pressure sodium lamps.

Other light bulbs on the cutting edge are halogen lamps and LED lights. Halogen lamps could be thought of as the beginning phase in the strides toward light bulb modernization. This is because these work the same way that incandescent bulbs do. The difference is that these are much longer lasting due to the addition of halogen inside the bulb. This actually keeps the filament inside the light bulb from burning out. The latest in lighting, though, are LED lights. These are extremely energy efficient. They are like mini-bulbs that produce light through a tiny microchip with a semiconductor on it inside the light bulb. The light that they give uses much less energy than any other type of light bulb.

The most common usage for metal halide lamps is in outdoor applications. This is due to the amount of time it takes for these bulbs to become fully lit and the waiting period that is required before relighting them. When you first turn on your metal halide light bulb, you might notice that the color seems to be off and it might even change. This will only last for about five to ten minutes and it is quite normal. This happens as a result of the increasing temperature and pressure inside the bulb which are required for full operation. Temperature and pressure are also why you must wait about five to ten minutes after turning off the metal halide lamp before relighting it.