Recommendations for lighting in the entrances of apartment buildings

Entranceway lighting is an important element of safety and normal life in any apartment building. Plus it is a rather large item of expenditure, which is paid by all apartment owners. Therefore, organizing proper lighting and choosing cost-effective light sources is in the interest of everyone who lives in the entryway.

Entrance lighting should be of high quality and evenly distributed.

Special features of lighting in the porch and stairwells of MFBs

The standards of lighting and their features are regulated by law and described in several legal acts, the main of which is GOST. There are also standards and rules for the maintenance of the common area. In order not to disassemble the norms of SNiP and SanPiN, it is easiest to highlight the most important points:

1. For stairwells and corridors on the floors when using fluorescent or LED lamps, the minimum standard of illumination will be 10 lux. If incandescent lamps are used, the figure should be at least 5 lux. The level of lighting is measured on the surface of the steps or the floor of the corridor.
2. If there is an elevator in the building, the area near the elevator must be illuminated according to the norm not less than 20 lux for the first type of lamp and 7 lux for the second. And the lamp is located so that part of the light flux must fall on the elevator doors.
   In houses with elevators, special requirements for lighting.
3. For rooms under wheelchairs, if such are in the house, the norm of light is 20 lux.

It is important not only lighting in the entryway of an apartment building, but also in the basements and attics, if any. In these places, the minimum illumination should not be less than 10 lux. Moreover, not the entire space shall be illuminated, and the main passageways.

Light sources and violations in their installation

In entrances can be used different types of lamps, it is important to choose the best option to ensure the safety and durability of the system. Installation is always carried out by suitably qualified professionals, but even their work should be checked, as they often commit irregularities.

Incandescent bulbs.

Traditional solution, which is obsolete today, but some contractors continue to put it to save on materials. Among the advantages are the following:

1. Low price, it is the cheapest type of equipment. You can buy light bulbs in any hardware store, sockets and plugs for them are also everywhere.
2. Easy replacement of light bulbs. Anyone can cope with this task.
3. There are typical projects for this option, which simplifies the work of installation organizations.

Even the most powerful incandescent bulbs give yellow light.

But the disadvantages of incandescent bulbs are much more:

1. The highest power consumption.
2. Service life of 1000 hours, and in most cases it is even less.
3. During prolonged operation, the bulb heats up to 350-400 degrees.

Often the bulb bursts when it fails, creating an additional hazard due to shards of glass.

Read also

Table of equivalence of LED lamps and incandescent

 

Fluorescent bulbs.

This option was often used in entrances about 10 years ago, as it was superior to incandescent versions and had several advantages:

1. High light performance - it is much brighter than incandescent bulbs and is close to daylight.
2. The surface heats up much less and does not create a fire hazard.
3. Energy consumption is not high. At the same time, the service life is 15 to 20 thousand hours.

Fluorescent luminaires in terms of light quality surpass incandes incandescent lamps many times over.

There are at fluorescent lamps have some disadvantages:

1. Light ripple during operation. The bulbs light up for a few seconds when turned on.
2. The presence of mercury vapor in the bulb, if damaged, this can create a hazard.

Read also

What to do if a fluorescent bulb breaks

 

LED Bulbs

LED lamps in the entranceway of the MFB - the best solution for today, so it is necessary to consider their advantages and disadvantages particularly carefully. Of the advantages, the most important are the following:

1. It is the most economical solution in terms of energy consumption and the most efficient, based on the quality of light.
2. The service life of the lamps is 30 to 50 thousand hours, which is much longer than that of any analogue.
3. The surface of the bulb is not very hot and there is no danger of burns or fire.
4. When you turn on the light appears instantly, its quality is excellent - without flicker and variations.
5. Diodes are safe for the environment, do not contain harmful substances and do not require special disposal.

LED lighting gives the best effect.

As for the disadvantages, you can highlight such:

1. Rather high cost, especially in comparison with incandescent lamps.
2. A large number of low-quality products on sale. It is better to choose options with a 2-year warranty, so you can replace them if they fail.

LED bulbs are also good because you can choose the optimal light temperatureTo achieve the desired level of illumination in the entrance hall.

Errors in installation

It is best to monitor how the work is done, as installers often do it hastily and violate even the most basic requirements. It is worth paying attention to such aspects:

1. Installation of lamps without plafonds and diffusers. Because of this, the light is distributed much worse and its quality deteriorates.
   Light bulb without a plafond - a gross violation of the rules of installation.
2. Incorrect location of fixtures, which causes some areas to be illuminated poorly, which creates a danger of movement.
3. Installation of equipment near combustible and flammable elements.
4. Connection of wires by twisting, unreliable fixing of cables on the wall.

Diagrams for automating driveway lighting

If you decide to save money, you can upgrade the standard system. There are several basic schemes that are most commonly used:

1. Push-button lighting. Suitable for low-rise buildings and is almost the same as the standard version, but there is a switch on the floor, when pressed, the light goes out. Requires the conscience and accuracy of tenants to save electricity. It is more convenient to use a switch with a timer that turns on the light for a certain time, and then automatically turns it off.
2. If you install a light sensor, the light will turn on when it is necessary and turn off if there is enough light in the entrance hall. This is a convenient option, but in this case the light will be on all the dark period.
3. Most often motion or sound sensors are installed. In this case, the light comes on when a person appears in the area of the equipment or the system reacts to noise. And the sensors can be placed separately, or can be included in the design of the light, which is very convenient.
   The motion sensor turns on the light when a person enters the area of its action.

You can combine different options. For example, on common areas to control the light sensor, and on the sites to put motion sensors.

What to do if there is no light at the entrance of an apartment building

If there is no light or No light, or burned out If your apartment building has no light, or if a light bulb burns out, you should call the maintenance company or write a written application. Carry out repairs as soon as possible, but in practice this is not always the case.

If the officials did not respond, you can file a complaint and they will incur administrative responsibility, which provides for a fine of 4 to 5 thousand rubles.

From the video you will learn about a simple way to prevent the theft of a light bulb from the entryway.

Entrance lighting in apartment buildings is an important safety aspect that must be addressed. Residents have the right to demand immediate repair and correction of installation errors that affect the illumination of the entryways and stairwells.