How To Improve Your Garage Lighting
Workshop Lighting
Whether your looking to improve the lighting in your garage workshop or just want better lighting in your existing garage, removing the bare-bulb porcelain fixtures and replacing each with an 4ft or 8ft fluorescent fixture per vehicle space will greatly improve the lighting in your garage and use LESS electricity than conventional incandescent bulbs.
So how to improve your garage lighting
Fluorescent Lighting
The fluorescent lights can be installed over the existing ceiling light boxes.
Select your fluorescent fixture based on the lowest temperature in your garage. If the temperature in your garage drops below 50 degrees, buy fixtures with electronic ballasts (not electromagnetic) because they start in temperatures down to 0 degrees F and lower.
Use T8 lamps (1 in. wide), which are more energy efficient. They cost more initially but will save you money over time.
Light Color
When buying bulbs, especially for a woodworking shop where you need to see the true color of paints and stains, ask for lamps with a CRI (color rendering index) of 85 or above. This number usually isn’t printed on the bulb or packaging, but it’s listed in the bulb company’s product catalog (and on some Web sites).
~ concord carpenter
