Chapter I
on Electricity.)
Economy is quite possible here as in burning oil or any thing else. If your lights are well placed, you need less light, if they have not too absorbent globes you will also need to use less light, if you have proper wall tints, etc. You often need fewer lamps. One good lamp in the right place saves two or three wrongly placed.
The Tungsten filaments burn brighter and more cheaply than the old filament of carbon. There is a saving of electricity somewhere around 50% in the use of new filament.
THE INCANDESCENT LIGHT
That brings us to the story of the incandescent lamp--
Incandescent means to glow with heat--In short the incandescent light is one which employs a globe in which the air has been exhausted and in which a vacuum exists. Before the air has been exhausted a filament of metal has been affixed through which the current of electricity is passed. In the resistance of this current the filament glows and gives the light that you use.
Don’t take any lamp you can get. Ask for the number of candle power or watts you want. The lamps to-day are more popularly sold according to watts rather than candle power.
INDIRECT AND DIRECT LIGHTING
Of course there is a loss every time the light is reflected through a diffusing medium. In correct direct lighting most of the light is only reflected once before using point. In indirect lighting it has one more reflection (at ceiling) causing a loss hardly much less than 25% and maybe more. The diffusing bowls throw a large part of the light--in semi-direct lighting--where there is a similar loss and the part of the light which goes through the bowl is considerably reduced by absorption. Naturally direct lighting is most efficient. Yet lighting is a matter of diffusion of light and often the indirect system gives not only more joy but better illumination with no greater consumption of power than direct lighting.
Avoid shallow reflectors not covering filament (or mantle in gas lamps).
The plain electric glass shades through which the source of light is plainly seen are practically nil. They absorb more light than a good reflector and do no good--unless to look a wee bit better than a bare lamp. Ground glass is a better thing but poor enough.
Colored shades do absorb light but they are decorative--a combination of white reflectors and colored shades is often a good trick.
SPECIAL ROOM SERVICE
In lighting rooms remember their special needs. It is very unpleasant to have a light unshielded by a shade of some sort as the eye rebels against the sharp concentration of light.
DINING ROOM DOMES
Dining room domes are like mountains of flowers--obstruct the view and make you hurdle to see a diner opposite to you. They should be hung high enough not to become obstructive to the view and low enough not to throw light in your eyes. If this can’t be done, hang it high rather than low and cover the opening of the dome with a material somewhat alike in color to the dome.
THE BEDROOM
Have your fixtures on the side walls and plenty of them. Yet in some bedrooms, there are often three lights used when one properly placed would be enough! Think of the money outlay! A few outlets in convenient places will make it easy to use the vibrator, electric pad, shaving stand etc.
THE KITCHEN AND CLOSETS
Over the sink if necessary a small light can be placed. All dark closets should have an electric light; which can be switched on from the outside of the closet. It is a real sanitary measure to say nothing else of the ancient blind groping in a dark cupboard for these things--which roll and break in the groping! Blind sport--Electric lights in all closets are not luxuries now they are nervous prostration preventives! Light is a detective. Nothing bad can survive in the light! Dirt is revealed, bad conditions laid bare--hence the light works for good! Closets need light, shelves as well need light to visualize little corner lurkings!
A good light in the vestibule is often a perfect chaperon for youth!
The shaving mug and stand need careful lighting to prevent discomfort and inadvertent cuts.
The cellar can be a lonesome spot if not properly lighted. No one will clean it. A switch upstairs to light the cellar before going below, with enough other lights will do much to “sell” the cellar as a usable, cleanable room.
Flexible lights for desks are great comforts. There are countless decorative as well as practical desk lamps on the market to-day.
Although the primary object of lighting is to light, yet the market to-day has any number of fixtures which seem primarily for artistic purposes. And we must say that the fixture makers have a long way to go yet in the sheer beauty field--as have most non-custom made products.
ARCHITECTS
Don’t leave your lighting to your architects. Illuminating engineers are good but you can even be more illuminating by knowing your own needs and habits.
There is no excuse with electricity in not having your lights where you want them. Buy the right lights to save your health and eyes.
Talk to your contractor before the house is “let” for building. Here is the time to talk outlets!
IN FINALE
1. Clean globes mean more light. Don’t think you don’t have to clean electric lights. You waste money on electricity with every grain of dust on your globes.
2. Tired eyes often mean too few lights or light placed in wrong places.
3. Remember don’t always blame cook or work for indigestion, it may be your eyes from bad lighting.
4. A bare lamp if it must be used should be above the eye line, always use a shade.
5. Too much is as bad as too little; both strain the eye.
6. In low ceilinged rooms use two or three side small lamps rather than one large one.
7. Remember ask for the size lamp you want, don’t just say “I want a lamp.”
8. If you don’t understand lamps, go to a library and read or consult a good electrician, or go through some one’s home.
9. Standard plugs throughout the whole house so that all connections can be made at any outlet.
10. It is wiser to have more rather than too few outlets.
11. Switches--remember you can have lights so arranged to snap on and off in the closets by a switch on the outside. (1) You can have switches (3 and 4 way switches) that enable you to light the light upstairs from downstairs and turn it off when you get upstairs and turn it on again either up or downstairs. (2) Side wall switches--near doors as you enter; (3) Another switch to turn on all lights in house at once in case of danger.
SOME SUGGESTED NOVELTIES
There is a “cute” little thing now to be had to prevent you bumping your shins on a table when leaving the room--a light that when you put it out stays lit one minute after you pull the chain!
CORD DIVIDER
There is also a device which connects the long electric cord so that you can easily lengthen or shorten it without calling in an electrician.
TINTING
Lacquers for globes can be bought whereby you can reduce the glare of the ordinary lamp at will or even color them to suit.
PRINCIPLES
First principle is that diffusion of light is necessary in order to see the object clearly and pleasantly. (2) Brightness is to be avoided. No general rule can be given for number of foot candles--different rooms--whether dark or light in decoration--need different treatment. Experiment and experience are the only arbiters here.
Some rules: (1) _Avoid flickering light_--fatigue and nerves result from flickers. (2) _Use shaded lamps._ More diffused light from a large source gives better light than from a small. (3) _Don’t judge the light by the lamp._ The lamp doesn’t give light. The light which comes directly from the lamp to the eye does no good and may interfere with the useful light which has gone from the lamp to the surrounding objects and thence to the eye.
(4) _Do not face the light._ It is well to have the light from above over the left shoulder. This plan obviates the shining surfaces of paper, table tops etc. from interfering with pleasant seeing. In this way too, you do not see the lamp itself. If you have to shade your book the light is wrong for _you_. (5) _Avoid brilliant reflection_ of the lamp. (No matter how brilliant your own reflection may be!) Glossy paper in books especially for children should be “verboten.” (6) _Keep lamp away from your work_, your eye likes not to concentrate on concentrated light. The desk light or factory light lying “away” rather than “next to” is far better for worker. A special reading lamp is good but is often pleasanter when used in connection with a soft general lighting. (7) _Vertical light carrying fixtures_ are best--old ones can be bent to carry light vertically.
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