Skip to main content

Too Much Artificial Light Is Bad For You

Thomas Edison changed the world with the invention of the light bulb. The setting of the sun no longer meant that man had to struggle in the dark with the dim light of candles and lanterns. The light bulb enables everything that could be done during the day to also be done when it is dark outside. There is no questioning this blessing but over time electric light came to supplement and even replace the use of natural sunlight during the day. A little over a century ago maximizing the amount of daylight available indoors was a critical part of any home design. While it is still a key factor, the easy availability of electric lighting has allowed for compromises to be made. Location, space and aesthetic considerations at times limit the use of daylight indoors.


Artificial Lighting Is Nice But….
  • Using electric light during the day adds to your utility bills. With the cost of power going up, the expenses will increase over time.
  • Using artificial light to brighten your home during the day can often affect the way it looks and the atmosphere in it. You may not even have noticed how much the lack of sunlight has affected the appearance.
  • In offices, artificial lighting means that more people can be given workspace inside a building without the need to worry about providing them access to sunlight. The space saving is huge. But what about the natural energizing effect of sunlight? The loss of this could affect output and productivity.
  • You can manage with limited natural light, but have you thought about how the loss of it is affecting you? Inadequate exposure to daylight can cause a number of health problems. The most common of these are eye strain, headaches, migraines, stress and seasonal affective disorder. You may not even notice these problems or take them seriously, but if allowed to go unchecked; they could grow into more serious medical concerns. In addition, medical research has linked excessive time spent under artificial light to a number of major medical conditions.
Bring Daylight Indoors

Do you want to brighten up your home or workplace with more natural light? Perhaps you do not realize the difference the entry of more sunlight can make. Adding more windows or skylights requires major structural alternations which may not be possible and if they are, will be messy, time consuming and costly. Daylighting systems are the better alternative. Tubular daylighting devices (TTDs) use special daylight collectors on the exterior of the building to collect daylight and then bring it to even the most interior spaces using high tech piping systems. They are easy to install and once in place, run for free. The elegant fittings available ensure that the lights blend in with any décor. TTDs are the ideal way to improve the lighting of your home or workplace, reduce the health risk associated with artificial lighting and bring down your electric bills.

If you live in Santa Clara County CA., all you need to do is go online to ask for a free daylighting assessment. The low investment and the great results will leave you wondering why you didn’t go in for daylighting systems earlier.

Comments