Lumens are a measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a lamp or light source. It is a unit of luminous flux in the International System of Units, and it tells you the brightness of a lighted bulb or integrated LED lighting fixture. Lumens are different from watts, which measure energy used, not light output. With new, energy-efficient LED technology, we can no longer rely upon wattage to indicate how bright a bulb is. Instead, we use lumens to measure the brightness of a lightbulb. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the lightbulb, and the fewer the lumens, the dimmer the lightbulb.

When shopping for light bulbs, it is important to compare lumens to ensure you get the amount of light or level of brightness you want. The Lighting Facts Label found on all new LED bulb packages provides information on the number of lumens produced by each bulb. The label also specifies the equivalent incandescent wattage associated with the light bulbs lumen output. This helps provide a standard for comparing all LED light bulbs.

Here are some guidelines to help you understand lumens and how to shop for light bulbs:

• To replace a 100-watt incandescent bulb, look for a bulb that gives you about 1600 lumens.
• To replace a 75-watt bulb, look for an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 1100 lumens.
• To replace a 60-watt bulb, look for an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 800 lumens.
• To replace a 40-watt bulb, look for an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 450 lumens.

In summary, lumens are a measure of the brightness of a lightbulb, and they are different from watts, which measure energy used. When shopping for light bulbs, it is important to compare lumens to ensure you get the amount of light or level of brightness you want.