Two bulbs with the same labeled color temperature can produce different spectrum, flicker, color quality, and light at the eye. ClearHome Labs uses spectrometer measurements to evaluate key daytime and evening spaces throughout homes in Carlsbad and North County San Diego. The assessment can include flicker, spectral distribution, melanopic daylight efficacy ratio, color temperature, color rendering, illuminance, and fixture position. You receive a room-specific plan for better-informed lighting choices without a lighting-product sales pitch.
Many light sources vary in output over time. Some fluctuation is obvious, while some is too fast to see directly. ClearHome records the meter's flicker metrics, reported to the IEEE PAR1789 method, along with fixture conditions, including dimming level when relevant. A phone slow-motion video can be a useful clue, but it is not a calibrated measurement and can be affected by camera settings.
Light affects visual perception through rods and cones and also stimulates intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells involved in non-visual responses. The CIE system provides a framework for measuring these photoreceptor-weighted quantities. Melanopic daylight efficacy ratio, or mDER, describes the melanopic content of a light source relative to its visual output under the defined method. It should be considered with intensity, timing, duration, direction, and the person using the room. One ratio does not predict sleep or health by itself.
Correlated color temperature describes the warm or cool appearance of white light. Color rendering describes how faithfully colors appear under a source. These metrics help explain the experience of a room, but neither fully describes spectrum or circadian effect.
Lux describes light falling on a surface. For biological timing, the light reaching the eye and the time of day also matter. ClearHome records the measurement position and room use so a ceiling fixture is not evaluated only at the countertop when the question concerns a seated desk or bed.
ClearHome does not diagnose a sleep disorder, guarantee a change in sleep or mood, or replace an architectural lighting designer for a complex construction project. The assessment measures the existing environment and provides practical performance guidance.
We document when the room is used, the activities performed there, existing controls, daylight, and the lighting concern. A home office and a bedroom need different recommendations even when the same fixture is installed.
Within the confirmed scope, we test fixtures at the dimming levels and settings the household actually uses. We record the position, time, and relevant daylight or window conditions.
The report separates easy changes, such as schedule, dimming, position, and selected bulb replacement, from larger fixture or control-system work. Recommendations name performance targets rather than require a brand purchase.
The current website price is $250. The booking page states the rooms or fixtures included, measurement conditions, report scope, and price for additional areas.
Leave your email or phone and we'll reach out to confirm scope and schedule. Tell us the rooms and how they are used in the evening.
Not necessarily. Color temperature is one useful label, but spectrum, intensity, timing, fixture position, and dimming all matter. Measurement can show why two 2700K sources perform differently.
A phone can reveal an obvious pattern, but it is not a calibrated flicker meter. Frame rate, shutter behavior, exposure, and the light's frequency can change what the camera shows.
mDER is the melanopic daylight efficacy ratio. It compares the melanopic response produced by a light source with its photopic, or visual, response under the standardized CIE method. It is one part of a lighting assessment, not a standalone health score.
ClearHome cannot promise or diagnose a sleep outcome. The assessment can identify measurable lighting conditions and help create a more appropriate daytime and evening environment. Medical sleep concerns belong with a qualified healthcare professional.
No. ClearHome provides independent measurement and performance recommendations. You can purchase products or hire a designer from the source you choose.