Costly cool room lighting mistakes and how to avoid them

Cool room lighting sometimes receives insufficient attention in cold storage facilities, food processing plants, and refrigerated warehouses. With refrigeration being the top priority, it’s easy to miss the impact that poor lighting choices can have on energy efficiency, safety, and long-term costs.

Many businesses unknowingly make avoidable mistakes when it comes to cool room lighting. Installing the wrong type of LEDs or neglecting maintenance can lead to higher power bills, frequent breakdowns, safety risks, and even product spoilage.

The good news? These issues can be prevented with the right approach. In this blog post, we highlight common cool room lighting mistakes that could cost you more in the long run—and how to avoid them.

1. Choosing LEDs that aren’t designed for cold temperatures

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is using standard LEDs that are not designed for cool room environments.

Regular LED fixtures may work well in normal conditions but often fail prematurely in cold temperatures. Low-quality LEDs can flicker, dim, or stop working when exposed to freezing conditions.

To avoid this issue, invest in cool room-specific LED lighting engineered to perform in low temperatures. These fixtures are built with specialised components and sealed casings that prevent performance issues and extend lifespan.

2. Using lighting that isn’t moisture-resistant

Cool rooms naturally have high humidity and condensation, which can damage standard lighting fixtures.

Many businesses make the mistake of installing lights without a high enough IP rating, which is vulnerable to moisture ingress, leading to corrosion, electrical failures, and short circuits.

To prevent this, always choose IP65+-rated, moisture-resistant LED lighting. These fixtures are sealed to withstand condensation and humidity, ensuring reliability and reducing maintenance costs.

3. Overlooking energy efficiency

Many businesses assume all LED lighting is energy-efficient, but that’s not always the case. Some low-quality LEDs consume more power while producing less light, leading to higher electricity bills.

Inefficient lights also produce additional heat, forcing refrigeration systems to work harder to maintain optimal temperatures, further increasing the energy costs of inefficient lighting.

Invest in high-performance, low-wattage LED lighting with high lumens-per-watt ratios to maximise efficiency. Additionally, consider motion-sensored dimmable options to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.

4. Poor light placement and uneven coverage

Another common mistake is improperly positioning lights, leading to dark spots, glare, or inefficient illumination. Poor lighting placement creates unsafe working conditions and makes it difficult to inspect stock properly.

A well-lit cool room should have uniform lighting coverage without shadows or excessive glare. Work with lighting professionals to optimise fixture placement and ensure consistent brightness across the space.

5. Ignoring compliance and safety standards

Cool room lighting must meet industry regulations, especially in food storage and processing environments. Some businesses make the mistake of using non-compliant fixtures, resulting in failed safety inspections and hygiene risks.

Poor cool room lighting can affect safety by reducing visibility, increasing accident risks, and leading to non-compliance with workplace safety regulations. Ensure your lighting complies with industry standards, including food safety, workplace safety, and IP protection ratings. Investing in certified, high-quality cool room LED lighting helps maintain compliance and prevent operational disruptions.

6. Failing to plan for long-term costs

Many businesses focus only on upfront costs when purchasing lighting, choosing the cheapest options without considering long-term expenses.

While budget lighting may initially seem cost-effective, frequent failures, high energy consumption, and regular maintenance quickly make it more expensive.

Increased maintenance requirements to fix failed lighting distract staff from core business operations – far more costly than replacing lamps and changing labour. 

Additionally, LEDs are electronic waste, and their proper disposal now costs money, not to mention the environmental impacts of lamp manufacturing, which leads to only a short useful life.

Investing in high-quality cool room LED lighting may have a slightly higher initial cost. Still, it pays off in long-term savings by reducing replacement frequency, energy bills, and maintenance costs.  Companies embracing ESG principles will be especially attracted to products with longer lifespans and higher energy efficiency. Still, all lighting users help their financial bottom line when they invest in higher efficiency, long-life products.

7. Not using smart lighting solutions

Technology has improved cool room lighting solutions significantly, yet many businesses fail to take advantage of smart lighting options. Features such as motion sensors, timers, and dimmable LEDs can help reduce energy consumption without compromising visibility.

Cheap switching sensors are frequently viewed unfavourably as they are unreliable in detecting, and the on-off nature distracts users. But quality smart dimming controllers avoid these problems.

Lights smoothly dim down but respond rapidly when necessary.  Lights can even be programmed to illuminate well ahead of the user along their direction of travel. 

It is not just technology for its own sake; these features ensure no interruption, annoyance, or distraction to space users and no impact on their tasks compared to leaving the lights on at full power. By implementing smart lighting solutions, businesses can automate energy savings, ensuring lights are only used when needed, extending fixture lifespan and lowering costs.

Avoiding costly mistakes with the right cool room lighting

Poor cool room lighting can lead to higher hidden costs, safety risks, and operational disruptions, impacting productivity and profitability.

Businesses need to reduce expenses and improve efficiency, and investing in high-quality lighting helps lower energy and maintenance costs while ensuring safety and compliance.

At Endura Light, we provide high-performance, energy-efficient, and durable cool room LED lighting solutions designed to withstand low temperatures, humidity, and demanding environments.

If you’re looking to optimise your cool room lighting and reduce costs, We offer a FREE lighting design service for industrial sites. Call us today at 1300 901 207 or submit an enquiry to discuss your project.