LED Light Bulbs
LED bulbs may cost a little more upfront than some other types of light bulb, but they use significantly less energy and last a lot longer. This saves you money and helps reduce your carbon footprint.
Some manufacturers list watt equivalents on their packaging, but we recommend focusing on lumens when choosing your bulb.
Long Lifespan
LEDs don’t burn out like incandescent bulbs do, but they still eventually degrade over time. That’s why the lifespans they come with aren’t exactly set in stone. A bulb’s longevity is a function of both frequency and circumstance, including the temperature it operates in, how often it is turned on and off, and whether it’s operating in a well-ventilated or enclosed fixture.
As a result, the average lifespan cited on a package of LED bulbs typically factors in less frequent usage and diligent remembrance to turn them off when you’re done using them. Heat is a major enemy of LED bulbs as well, since it has the ability to bake the circuits inside them. For this reason, the bulbs Inline purchases from use carefully designed heat sinks to ensure that all of that excess heat is properly dissipated.
While we all got used to selecting incandescent light bulbs based on their wattage, LEDs display the incandescent-equivalent wattage High Bay Sensor of their brightness on their packaging, along with a lumens number that indicates energy usage (the higher the number, the brighter the bulb). This information can be helpful for new homeowners to understand as they make the switch from traditional to LED lighting. However, we recommend focusing on the luminosity of each bulb, not its wattage, to maximize your energy savings.
Lower Energy Consumption
LED bulbs use about 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lights, saving you money on your electricity bill. This can add up to a significant savings over time.
One of the reasons that LED light bulbs are so energy efficient is that they emit only the amount of light that they need to do their job, and no more. This is possible because of the design of the semiconductors they contain, which have a positive and negative layer with openings for electrons to move between them. When an electric charge passes through the semiconductor, it activates those electrons and causes them to glow, creating light.
LED bulbs come in all sorts of shapes, from standard A-shape bulbs that fit the same sockets and fixtures as your old bulbs to filament-style bulbs with whorls and zigzags that look just like the real thing. And they’re available in different colors, too, including warm white and cool blue.
Some LED bulbs, particularly those that are very bright or in the cooler range of the color spectrum, can suppress melatonin, a hormone that facilitates sleep, so it’s a good idea to avoid them close to bedtime.
Unlike CFLs, which contain mercury, LED bulbs can be tossed in the trash without any special care. However, it’s still best to recycle them at a local recycling center, or at a hardware store that accepts used batteries and light bulbs.
Versatility
In addition to their longevity, LED bulbs come in a variety of shapes, making them ideal for almost any fixture. You can find filament-style bulbs, which have an outer shell resembling the shape of a traditional bulb; and clear bulb shapes that fit into the same sockets as incandescents. LEDs are also available in a number of colors, and some can be controlled via a smartphone app to change color and brightness.
Bulb manufacturers also make tunable LED lights, which have different colored LEDs inside to provide a customizable tone. You can choose from “warm” tones, which are similar to the yellowish light emitted by incandescents, and cool white bulbs that have a blue quality. These are rated on the Kelvin scale, with lower ratings (around 1,000 to 4000) emitting a warm quality and higher ratings (7000+) producing a cool quality.
Most LED bulbs use a fraction of the energy that incandescents and halogens do, saving you money on your electricity bill. Replacing the bulbs that are used most frequently, such as in your foyer or family room, will provide a quick return on your investment. You can save even more by choosing LEDs that are rated for enclosed fixtures—you’ll use less energy if the heat they produce has a place to dissipate. Look for this designation on the Lighting Facts Label.
Easy Installation
Compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, LEDs are relatively easy to install. The fact that they can fit into existing sockets means that you don’t have to buy new fixtures or install complicated adaptors. And since they use less energy, you’ll save money on your electricity bill.
Moreover, when they burn out, LEDs are much easier to dispose of than CFLs. They can go straight into the trash, and they don’t contain any hazardous materials like mercury. They can also be recycled, if your city has a program that accepts them.
When selecting an LED bulb, pay attention to its lumens value rather than its wattage. Wattage measures power consumption, but lumens is led light bulbs a measurement of brightness. Look for ENERGY STAR certified LEDs to ensure that you get the brightness you need without using too much electricity.
Most LED bulbs are designed to match the appearance of standard incandescent lights, meaning they have a classic A-shape and fit the same sockets and fixtures that your old light bulbs did. If you’re considering a dimmable LED, make sure that it is compatible with your dimmer switch.
Also keep in mind that LEDs produce less heat, so they are safer than traditional bulbs if you bump them against something or drop them. This is especially true of ENERGY STAR LEDs, which are designed to reduce fire hazards and meet more stringent safety standards than conventional bulbs.
