Are you thinking of changing your current view to LED lights? We say it’s a good idea. LED lights are proven to be an excellent long-term investment because it can pull down your electricity bill.
However, switching to LED lights is not as simple as getting out of your current lights and changing it with the LED ones. There are some factors that you need to know to ensure a safe shift. Learn about the factors, read on.
- Measure brightness in lumens, not watts
We know you’ve been used to watts as an indicator of brightness. The higher the watts, the brighter the bulb. It’s time to break that misconception. Did you know that watts are actually a measure of how much electricity a bulb consumes? Yes, so that means that the higher the watts, the higher your electricity bill will be.
Since LEDs consume less energy compared to the traditional bulb, you can’t just shift from a 60W incandescent bulb to a 60W LED. You have to use lumens as a unit of measure.
Lumens is the correct measure of brightness. This means that a 700lumen halogen bulb provides the same amount of brightness to that of 700 lumens LED bulbs, but the wattage is different. In this case, a 700 lumen LED bulb only uses 10 watts, but the halogen bulb uses 42 watts, and the standard incandescent bulb uses 75W.
To put it simply, LED bulbs provide the same brightness but consume less energy.
2. LED bulbs are more expensive
You can buy incandescent bulbs at around $2 or less, but you can buy LED bulbs for at least $8 or as much as $20. This might be pricey if you only look at the price, but you have to see this purchase as a long-term investment.
Lights make up 8 to 15% of your electricity bill. Imagine how much savings you can get in the long run. Think about this, the $6 you sacrifice today will pay off a hundred or even a thousand folds in the future.
3. Choose the right color
The traditional incandescent bulb is known for its warm glow. The bright, harsh, cool white light of an LED light might make you have second thoughts. But fret not, because LED lights are now available in different colors.
Here are some options:
- Warm white: This is the closest to the yellowish hue of an incandescent bulb.
- Soft white: It’s brighter and cooler than warm white without the harsh element.
- Bright white: It’s a cool-toned and bright light that is perfect for task lighting.
Choose from these options based on your preference for each area of your home.
4. Dimmable LEDs
When you switch into LEDs, you have to change your sockets, too. You have to be careful if you want to use your new LED light with your current dimmer switch. It is not recommended that you do this on your own.
In traditional sockets, dimmers work by regulating the electricity that the light can access. Therefore, the lesser the electricity, the dimmer the light. However, it doesn’t work that way with LED lights. As discussed earlier, they are not dependent on the amount of energy it receives.
To resolve this issue, you can do any of this two:
- Choose an LED bulb that is compatible with your existing dimmers.
- Change your current dimming switch. This is more recommended than option one.
The use of LED lights is indeed a good investment. It consumes less electricity and has over 10x longer life span compared to other bulbs.
When doing the switch, it would be best to work with professionals so they can ensure the safety of your home. Doing it by yourself can pose a serious danger to you and your family.
Contact a qualified electrician today and allow them to do the work for you. A safe shift is always a better idea compared to a dangerous one.
