Why install LEDs?

LEDs, or light emitting diodes, work differently than other light sources – instead of running an electric current through a wire filament or a tube, they combine currents with a positive and negative charge to create energy which is released in the form of light. Thanks to these processes LED light bulbs provide many benefits compared to other traditional light sources. Below are some of the reasons. 

LED lights are energy efficient, consuming up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and about 50% less energy than fluorescent bulbs or halogen lamps. An average LED bulb consumes 8 watts of electricity to produce the same amount of light that 100-watt indecent bulb or a fluorescent bulb of 14 watts do. Why? LEDs turn most of their energy directly into light instead of heat like traditional light bulbs do – reducing your monthly utility bill.

LEDs are bright Since LEDs have high-energy efficiency, but they consume a small amount of power, many consumers think that they are not bright enough. In reality they can be even brighter than the best solar lights or other traditional light sources. People are used to measuring brightness in wattage, so they think 6 or 8 watt bulbs can’t be brighter than 100 watt bulbs, but LED lighting just works differently, and therefore is able to produce the same amount of light with less energy. If measured in lumens, a 6-watt LED bulb with an efficiency of 200 lumens per watt produces the same 1,200 lumens than a 60-watt incandescent bulb with energy efficiency of 20 lm/W would.

LEDs don't give out a lot of heat The infrared and ultraviolet light waves given out by other types of light bulbs create heat. LEDs don’t heat up quickly and they don’t become as hot – producing a minimal amount of conductive heat. This also is the reason why LEDs can produce the same amount of light with less voltage – LEDs don’t turn the energy into heat like rest of the light sources do, so there are no energy losses, only energy efficiency gain.

LEDs last a long time If an average lifespan of a LED bulb is 60,000 hours, then the lifespan of fluorescent light bulb is around 6,000 hours and incandescent bulb only around 1,500 hours. So, an average LED bulb will lasts around 10 times longer than fluorescent bulb, and 40 times longer than traditional incandescent bulb. If your LED lamps are turned on about 8 hours a day/365, that is 2,920 hours a year. Since the lifespan of a LED light bulb is 60,000 hours, which means that you could go more than 20 years without having to change your LED light bulbs.

LEDs aren't as expensive as you think Consumers think that LED bulbs are too expensive to be beneficial even in a long run, but LED bulbs are less expensive than it might seem. The average price of a LED bulb is just a bit higher than the price of fluorescent bulbs. Since LED bulbs consume less energy and last longer and their prices are continuing to decline, LED lighting is much cheaper than any other type of light on the market.

LEDs turn on instantly Fluorescent lights are notorious for needing time to heat up and therefore not giving out full-brightness light right after they are flickered on. But with LED bulbs you won’t have this problem, since LED light bulbs turn on as soon as the light switch is flipped. That is also the main reason why LED lights are the most commonly used lighting in entertainment industry and other fields, where the instant light is crucial.

LEDs are environmentally friendly Unlike fluorescent lighting bulbs, which contain such toxic materials as mercury, LED don’t have any toxic chemicals in them and are totally recyclable.