LED lighting certifications: What are they and what do they do?
There are many options in the marketplace for LED lighting, with important features to consider like color temperature, lumens output, voltage, and wattage draw. But to find a quality LED product with proven reliability, the most important consideration should be safety certifications (UL certification, CSA certification, ETL certification, etc). Here at Armacost Lighting, our customers can shop with confidence knowing that our products have been lab tested and are certified for safe use in your home or business.
What is a safety certification?
Let’s start from the beginning. In 1869 a group of Bostonians met to discuss the safety concerns around the inconsistency of building sprinkler systems. In turn, they created an installation standard for the sprinkler system and thus the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) was born. 150 years+ later, the NFPA is still responsible for developing new and updating existing NFPA codes and standards that minimize the risk of fire. These codes range from building, design, service, and installations.
That’s great, but how do we know what product(s) are up to code? This is where safety certifications come in. There are NRTLs (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories) that create testing methods around the standards the NFPA publishes. These labs test the safety and code compliance for each product and once passed, are given a safety certification seal.
What are the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories?
There are 3 main NRTLs to choose from when lab testing product for NRTL certification. The most recognizable lab in the US is UL (formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories). UL is the leader in the industry because they interpret the NFPA's codes and in turn develop and write the testing standards which are then used by all other NRTLs including ETL (Electrical Testing Laboratories), and CSA (Canadian Standards Association).
What does UL Listed mean?
A UL Listed product has been tested and found to have met the UL safety standards. These are whole products that can be used on their own. A product that carries the “UL Listed” approval mark is the final product for installations. Products with the “RU” or “Recognized Component” approval mark are UL Recognized product components that are meant to be used in a larger part of an ecosystem. Recognized Component products have still been tested and found to have met the safety standards, but they are intended to be used inside other devices. UL Certified is an umbrella term for both UL Listed and UL Recognized products.
Armacost Lighting safety standards
Armacost Lighting LED products exceed the safety standards on the market and are backed by product warranty. Our customers can find safety certification details listed on the product page at ArmacostLighting.com. The safety certification logo is also visible on the product itself. The UL Listed, UL Classified, Certified by UL, or UL Recognized marks indicate that the product has been lab tested and certified for use related to its intended installation.
