According to Energy.gov, America’s 115 million homes collectively use an estimated 22.5% of the country’s energy. 22.5%! This translates to money spent out of our pockets so it’s no wonder that we are starting to look for more energy-efficient ways to light our homes. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of LED lighting for your home. If you haven’t considered it before, you may decide to give them a shot!
Advantages
They last for a long time. Incandescent bulbs generally last up to 1,000 hours while LED lights are thought to last much longer, up to 50,000 hours or 10 or more years depending on their frequency of use and the climate in which they are used.
They’re great for installing in hard-to-reach areas. Do you tremble at the idea of changing the outdoor floodlights on the outside of your home? Change them to LED lights and you might not have to ever change them again!
They’re more efficient. LEDs are more efficient – up to 90% more! This translates to energy and cost savings for you.
They’re not hot to the touch. This allows you to use them in places you wouldn’t want people – or perhaps kids – touching hot bulbs, which can create a safer home environment.
They won’t break easily. Known as “sold state lighting,” or SSL, they don’t contain a filament, tube or bulb that can shatter.
The cost per use is extremely low. Although the upfront cost will be much more than incandescent bulbs, their overall cost per lifetime is much lower, saving you money in the long run.
They’re great for the environment. LEDs contain no mercury or other dangerous substances.
Disadvantages
The upfront cost can be significant. The upfront cost of LEDs can certainly be a deterrent if you are replacing all of the bulbs in your home at the same time. Start with just a few bulbs at a time if this is a concern for you.
White LED lighting can be inconsistent. White LED lights are difficult to manufacture so it can be hard to create consistency of color among white ones and it may vary from light to light. Generally this difference in minimal and won’t be noticeable in your home.
They may seem to have a blue tint. LED lighting can sometimes seem blue-ish or take on a stark feeling which is great for commercial locations, but may not feel great in your home. But technology is improving every year and LED lighting for homes has come a long way even in the past few years.
To conclude, LED lighting has continued to evolve and improve over the past few years so that it is now a great option for home lighting. Give it a try if you haven’t already!