Let’s Make Daylight Savings Day Light Bulb Cleaning Day

Several years ago, the International Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO) conducted a study that found facility managers could save as much as 10 percent on their lighting costs just by cleaning light fixtures.

The study also found that most facilities could reduce their lighting needs – and still provide adequate light for building users – just by cleaning light bulbs and light fixtures at least once, preferably twice per year. 

A good routine we recommend, to make these twice-a-year dates easier to remember, is to schedule light bulb cleaning for the days when Daylight Savings begins and again when it ends. 

Some studies even suggest regular cleaning can improve the lifespan of the bulbs and the fixtures. Why? Because the dust can work its way into ballast and other light fixture components, potentially damaging them or causing a short.

But it is the loss of light caused by dust that is our key concern, and this has become even more of a problem today than it was a decade ago. The reason for this is that so many facilities now use LED technology.  

Whereas traditional light bulbs or fluorescent bulbs could last several months to about three years, LED lights last between five and ten years. A longer life means that LED light bulbs are attended to less often, resulting in a much greater potential for dust to accumulate over time, and with that, reduced brightness levels. 

But the accumulation of dust is so gradual, building users typically do not notice it until they start to complain about the loss of adequate light. And the opposite is true as well. As soon as the bulbs and the fixtures are cleaned, building users are invariably impressed with how much more light there is in the facility…just by cleaning the bulbs and the fixtures.

However, when it comes to light bulb/fixture cleaning and maintenance, we need to address one more thing: the coronavirus.  

According to a July 2020 article in Bloomberg, “the long-staid world of HVAC is suddenly in the spotlight. Research shows the coronavirus may spread through shared air.”

Along with the possibility of the virus being inhaled from this “shared air”, it could collect on light bulbs and fixtures along with the dust. While there is no evidence that anyone has contracted the virus by touching a fixture or bulb, as we work to eliminate all possibilities and keep our facilities as clean and healthy as possible, regular cleaning of bulbs and fixtures is one more infection control measure we recommend that building owners and managers take.

To accomplish this, after cleaning we recommend using electrostatic sanitizing sprayers
to mist the fixtures. We are using these infection control systems for many reasons today and in most of our client locations. 

Should any bacterial buildup still be present, these misters helps ensure all pathogens, including those that can cause coronavirus, are deactivated. 

Taking these steps results in more illumination, less energy consumption, longer-lasting light bulbs, improved worker productivity, healthier facilities, and happier building users.