Newer types of lights burn bright, not as hot

Dear Jim: I have always used a cage-type work light with a standard bulb when doing projects, but I saw some new ones that are not supposed to get so hot. What are these other types of lights and are they very effective? – Bob M.

Dear Bob: Anyone who has ever used cage-type work lights with a standard incandescent bulb has the burn marks on his arms to prove it. I restore cars as a hobby and I switched to the newer types of work light for this specific reason.

A secondary benefit of using the newer lights is a huge electricity savings.

All of the heat you feel from the incandescent bulb is wasted electricity. Very little of the electricity used actually becomes visible light. Using a standard 75-watt bulb can cost 5 cents a day and the bulbs last less than 1,000 hours.

The newest type of work lights use LEDs (light emitting diodes) instead of standard bulbs. There can be as many as 20 LEDs clustered into the end of the light under a protective clear lens. These produce a bright bluish white light which is visually pleasing.

The good news is these do not get hot so there is no chance of burning yourself or your children if they want to be helpers. An LED is a solid-state device and does not create light by making a filament white-hot as an incandescent bulb does.

Even with multiple LEDs in the work light, it consumes less than two watts of electricity. You can use one for an entire month and still not consume 5 cents worth of electricity. The life of LEDs is extremely long, so you likely will never have to replace them.

Another efficient work light option is one with a fluorescent bulb. This can be short or long depending upon which better meets your needs. Fluorescent bulbs get just slightly warm so they cannot burn you. They use only 13 watts of electricity to provide the same amount of light as your old cage-type light. The replaceable bulbs also last 10 times longer.

Free-standing halogen work lights get extremely hot, but they are meant to be placed in a safe location. They are mounted in adjustable stands so you can direct the light onto your project. They are only slightly more efficient than your incandescent bulbs, but they produce a very white light which is excellent to work under.

Combination work lights are available which have a fluorescent light for general lighting and a halogen spotlight in the end for focused light.

With the halogen bulb mounted in the plastic housing, it will not burn you. Consider getting a work light with a magnetic mount adapter.

Baseball caps with four battery-operated LEDs are also available.

The following companies offer work lights: Alert Stamping, (800) 400-5020, www.alertstamping.com; Bayco Products, (469) 326-9400, www.baycoproducts.com; General Manufacturing, (260) 824-3440, www.saftlite.com; Sears/Craftsman, local retail outlets, www.sears.com; and Woods Wire Products, (800) 447-4364, www.woods.com).

Dear Jim: We have an ash odor coming from our fireplace all year. We had the chimney and ash pit cleaned. We covered the front of the fireplace with plastic and we can see ash on it now. Where is it coming from? – Susan A.

Dear Susan: Even though you had the chimney cleaned, there will always be some residual ash left behind. Closing the damper will help block it, but there will still be some natural draft up and down that carries ash with it.

There likely is also some natural draft up from the ash pit that carries some fine ash. Covering the front of your fireplace with plastic as you did or adding tight-fitting glass doors is the best method to minimize the odor.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.