Alternatives to hard-wired Exit Signs. Tritium Exit Signs VS Photoluminescent Exit Sign?

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Non-Electric Exit Signs have increased in popularity over recent years because of their energy efficiency, ease of installation and decreased costs.  An exit sign that does not require electricity to operate is clearly the most energy-efficient.  Compared to Hard-Wired Exit Signs, Non-Electric Exit Signs don’t connect to a building’s power supply, which results in a faster & cheaper installation, while additionally reducing long term costs of power consumption and maintenance.

What Non-Electric Exit Sign is better?  Let’s briefly discuss the difference between Tritium and Photoluminescent Signs and then weight the Pros and Cons. 

Photoluminescent Exit Signs

Photoluminescent (power free) exit signs require no electricity (AC) or battery power to work. They are illuminated via photoluminescence (“glow-in-the-dark”). Since no AC connection is required, installation is incredibly simple and does not require access to conduit, an outlet, or the services of an electrician (minimal installation costs). Since no power is consumed, there is zero lifetime power consumption cost! Since there are no electronics or batteries, these signs also enjoy zero maintenance costs!

Photoluminescent Exit Signs glow

Photoluminescent tape and emergency egress signs absorb and store energy from ambient light (requires 54 LUX -5-ft candles- of fluorescent, LED, metal halide or mercury vapor light to charge material for 60 minutes). In the event of an emergency involving blackout or smoke-laden conditions, the photoluminescent product is immediately visible, providing a safe, illuminated evacuation path. Photoluminescent products can be installed easily in any location with sufficient ambient light source. We carry a variety of photoluminescent exit signs to meet your specific needs.

Photoluminescent Exit Signs last for approximately 25 years with minimal maintenance.

Continue reading “Alternatives to hard-wired Exit Signs. Tritium Exit Signs VS Photoluminescent Exit Sign?” »

Emergency Lighting 101 – Crash Course

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Emergency Lighting encompasses Emergency Light Fixtures, Exit Signs, Exit Sign + Light Combos and more. These units often go unnoticed until they are needed. Neglecting your facilities emergency lighting is a decision that could put you in risk of fine, legal action or serious danger for you or your patrons. What rules govern emergency lighting? What should I know post-purchase?

There are a number of regulations or codes that are imposed on Emergency Lights and Exit Signs from various authorities such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). Additionally, your local jurisdiction may impose their own codes and requirements for emergency lighting. Your local Fire Marshal or Inspector is your go-to resource for understanding these code requirements.

Continue reading “Emergency Lighting 101 – Crash Course” »

The Exit Light Co. Launches New Website

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We are happy to announce that over the New Year we updated our ExitLightCo.com website.  If you’ve visited our site in the past, you will notice some major differences.  Our goal is to provide an exceptional Customer Experience through our easy to use website.  In this post, we will highlight some of the major changes that were made.

Condensed Products

In an effort to simplify the process of finding the Emergency Lighting or Egress Lighting product of choice, we have condensed many products that used to have their own individual listing, into one individual listing for all available options.  For example, our top selling Exit Sign is the “Standard Red LED Exit Sign | White or Black Housing“.  This Exit Sign has a number of options, such as ordering the unit in white or black and choosing the Operation Type of the exit sign.  Continue reading “The Exit Light Co. Launches New Website” »

CEC and Title 20 – New Regulations for Emergency Lighting

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Newer Lighting Regulations have come to California under Title 20.  What is Title 20?  Who Created it? Keep reading to find the answer.

What is the CEC? The CEC (California Energy Commission) is the state of California’s primary energy policy and planning agency. It is focused on reducing energy costs and the environmental impacts of energy use—such as greenhouse gas emissions— while ensuring a safe, resilient, and reliable supply of energy. While the CEC has regulatory authority for most products sold or offered for sale in the state of California, its policies impact products produced for other regions as well.

What is Title 20? Title 20 is a part of the CEC’s Appliance Efficiency Regulations, from the California Code of Regulations.  The California Energy Commission adopted new standards updating the 2015 Appliance Efficiency Regulations (Title 20) for lighting appliances. The first updates to this set of Regulations was released in January 2018 and Tier 2 will be effective July 1, 2019. Continue reading “CEC and Title 20 – New Regulations for Emergency Lighting” »

A switch to led lighting met amazing results in one Indian Factory

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This week in an “All Things Considered” story from NPR, we learned a good lesson in Energy Efficiency from a factory in India that switched its clothing factory from fluorescent light tubes to energy efficient LED lights. Generally, factories in India don’t have fans, Air Conditioning none the less. When a company representative visiting the factory realized the hot temperature that thousands of workers had to endure, he knew something had to change. The whole factory removed its fluorescent lighting, and replaced the factory with LEDs. What was the expectation of switching to LED lighting? The Company Representative stated : “Look, if you’re consuming a seventh of the energy, you’re probably dissipating something like a seventh of the heat as well.” It was expected that a swith to LED lighting would reduce the temperature inside the factory. What results did this experiment result in?

Switching to LEDs did indeed prove to reduce the factories temperature. The evidence shows that a switch to LED lighting reduced the temperature of the factory by over 4 degrees. This switch resulted in a boost in profits due to increased productivity, covering the cost of replacing the fluorescent lighting fixtures in just eight months. Continue reading “A switch to led lighting met amazing results in one Indian Factory” »

About Certification Marks

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You see them on every piece of electronics you buy — whether for personal use, business, or work. But what does that stamped UL, ETL, or CSA indicate? These are Certification Marks, and they provide assurance that you can rely on a standard of safety and performance from the products. All products sold in the United States must pass through a battery of tests performed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to prove that the product meets or exceeds national safety standards. Products that pass this inspection and testing process carry the Certification Mark for the laboratory that provided the testing (UL for Underwriter’s Laboratories, ETL for Intertek Testing Services, and CSA for Canadian Standards Association). It doesn’t matter which mark the product carries, as long as it is from one of the organizations that are recognized by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

 

You can be assured that all products which carry an OSHA recognized NRTL mark will comply with the various safety codes (buidling codes, electrical safety codes, municipal codes and fire codes), has been thoroughly tested by third party laboratories to strict specifications, and complies with all current standards.

 

All emergency lighting and exit signs sold by The Exit Light Company carry Certification Marks. Please see our FAQs to learn more about Certification Marks and NRTLs.

The Exit Light Company Recognized Again for Providing Excellent Customer Satisfaction

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The Exit Light Company Receives 2017 Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction

It’s a three-peat! For the third year in a row, The Exit Light Company has been awarded with the prestigious Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.

 

The Spectrum Award of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction was established to spotlight companies and business professionals providing exceptional service and experiences to their clients and customers.

 

The Exit Light Company appreciates that our efforts at providing exceptional products with exceptional service are recognized. We will continue to strive for excellent customer satisfaction.

The Exit Light Company Expands Operations in the Mid-West

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The Exit Light Company's Wichita, Kansas warehouse

The Exit Light Company is pleased to announce the opening of our newest shipping center in Wichita, Kansas. Our new mid-west facility allows us to provide affordable 2-day delivery service to most of the central United States. We have always prided ourselves on providing quality customer service, and one of our hallmarks is our fast turnaround from order to delivery. The new fulfillment center in Wichita allows us to reach even more of the continental United States with quick, efficient and affordable product delivery! And because we pay less on shipping, we can pass those savings on to our customers, or continue with our offer of free ground shipping on orders of 6+ items* to our customers (*Some restrictions apply). Our customers can expect our same world-class customer service, free shipping, but now can expect even quicker delivery!

 

The Exit Light Company Recognized for Providing Excellent Customer Satisfaction

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The Exit Light Company Receives 2016 Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction

For the second year in a row, The Exit Light Company has been awarded with the prestigious Spectrum Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.

 

In partnership with The Stirling Center for Excellence, City Beat News (CBN) recognizes companies that provide an outstanding customer experience and honors them with the Spectrum Award. Winners are based on CBN’s independent, proprietary research and evaluation system, which identifies businesses with a track record of top-flight customer service and customer satisfaction. The rating system combines data collected from nominations, online and other customer reviews, surveys, blogs, social networks, business-rating services, and other honors and accolades — all of which express the voice of the customer.

 

The Exit Light Company appreciates that our efforts at providing exceptional service with exceptional products are recognized. We will continue to strive for excellent customer satisfaction.

Tragic “Ghost Ship” Oakland Warehouse Fire Shows Need for Stronger Life Safety Code Violation Enforcement

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Another tragic fire at a large public gathering reminds us that life/fire safety issues can not be mitigated by laws alone. A horrific fire at the Oakland warehouse known as the “Ghost Ship” has led to the deaths of at least 36 people. The warehouse was used as a residence and art studio for many of the victims as well as a party venue. The building was zoned and coded ONLY for commercial use. In fact, there was a history of code violations. There are laws regarding zoning and life safety that were knowingly violated by the tenants at the Oakland warehouse. Life safety rules are designed to keep the public safe. Rules like keeping egress paths cleared, illuminated, and marked are basic life safety codes in modern society. Strict enforcement at the “Ghost Ship” may have led to fewer deaths or even prevented the tragedy. Complaints were lodged about the warehouse, but the wheels of bureaucracy turned slowly. Now, the District Attorney’s Office has launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

 

Our blog posting of February 4, 2013 “Surviving a Nightclub Fire” offers some advice about how to 1) avoid or 2) increase chances of surviving such an event. It also offers guidance for building owners/managers.