LED lighting is proving to be a groundbreaking invention in numerous ways. This technology provides consumers with fast start times, low energy usage, and a consistent illumination quality.
Several LED light choices are available in today's marketplace. Although most consumers focus on table lamps, recessed lighting, wall fixtures, those options don't work as well in homes and businesses with open concepts or high ceilings.
If you're looking to update your space with improved lighting, linear LED high bays provide an excellent alternative to more traditional fixtures. It's better for business us, allows you to customize energy use, and maintain appropriate illumination.
What Is a Linear High Bay?
A linear high bay fixture is an LED option used for indoor spaces with high ceilings. It's seen most often in shopping malls, warehouses, and factories, but it could also be in homes with extensive gables.
It can be installed on a ceiling more than 15 feet above the ground. The best models can be up to 40 feet off the ground without compromising the lumens and illumination needed to provide a safe environment.
A linear high bay offers a rectangular shape. That's what makes it suitable for everything from a warehouse aisle to overhead lighting in an office. Homeowners can opt for a UFO high bay light instead, providing a circular shape that works a bit better in more confined settings.
You can install an LED high bay light directly onto a ceiling or have it hang suspended with dual chains.
Why Use LEDs for Linear High Bay Lights?
Even when linear high bay lights are suspended from the ceiling, the open spaces overhead require time and equipment to access. With long-lasting LED lights installed, you don't need to change out the bulbs as often. That means you can reduce your ongoing maintenance to occasional cleaning.
That's only one benefit to consider when installing linear LED high bays in homes, offices, or industrial settings. Here are some of other advantages to consider when installing or upgrading to this fixture.
| Linear High Bay Benefit | Advantages That Come with This Benefit |
| Improved Appearance | Having an open concept design makes a space feel bigger. When there's nothing to fill the empty overhead areas, it can feel too large or overwhelming. Linear high bay lights deliver appropriate illumination while contributing to the interior décor or general ambiance. |
| Ease of Installation | You can install LED linear high bay lights on standard fixtures. That makes them a versatile option for homes and businesses of all sizes. Once in place, you might not need to replace it for 20 years or more. |
| Better Safety Profile | Potential dangers exist if a standard fluorescent bulb falls from the height of a linear bay fixture. Some products emit higher levels of UV light to manage. When you upgrade to LEDs, you can eliminate these issues while creating specific color temperature and CRI results. |
| Layout Options | Linear high bays provide symmetry to retailers, grocers, warehousers, and other businesses that operate with aisles and shelves. You'll receive enough lumens to deliver safe illumination levels while providing a design that feels visually appealing to the many. |
| Customize Energy Use | The operational costs of LED linear high bays are significantly lower than other light bulb types today. Even the original purchase price is competitive as diode technologies evolve. That's why this choice is an environmentally preferred option in numerous settings. |
What Lumen Rating Do I Need for LED Linear LED High Bays?
High bay LED lights come with several different lumens ratings to consider. That's due to the need of building owners to fill different open spaces with appropriate illumination.
Think about a standard LED light installed in a floor lamp for a moment. If you place it near a wall, you'll receive significantly more light on the closest surface than the one that is the furthest away from it.
Linear high bays have the same challenge, except vertically instead of horizontally. The fixtures shine the LED illumination from top to bottom while spraying the light profile across open spaces.
If you have a ceiling height between 10 to 15 feet, the ideal lumens rating for high bay LED lights is between 10,000 lumens to 15,000 lumens.
When you have a ceiling height between 16 feet to 20 feet, you'd shop for lights that deliver between 16,000 to 20,000 lumens.
For ceilings between 25 to 35 feet, a linear LED high bay with a 33,000-lumen rating would be appropriate.
Until you get to 24 feet of ceiling height, you typically need about 1,000 lumens for every open foot of space to fill. You also go with about a foot of spacing for every 12 inches of ceiling height to achieve a normal indoor lighting profile.
How Many Linear LED High Bay Lights Do I Need?
The number of linear high bays needed for an open space depend on the dimensions of the room. If you have a 15-foot ceiling, you'll need a 12-foot spacing between fixtures to achieve a desirable illumination profile.
If you have a 10x10-foot room with a 15-foot ceiling, one fixture would be appropriate. When you have a 24x24-foot space, you might need two or three to ensure there is enough illumination. It is important to remember to use the spatial dimensions from where the fixtures are located.
If they have a direct mount located on the ceiling, you'll need different spacing than if they hang from dual chains.
The best way to achieve a better illumination profile is to have light coming from different directions. When you have linear LED high bays, you'll take care of your primary need. From there, you can reduce shadows and hot spots by adding other LED fixtures throughout the space.
