LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting is becoming increasingly popular for commercial and residential use because It provides long-term reduction in energy and expense. But investing in LED lighting can be expensive, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you make the leap

How Does LED Lighting Work?

LED lights have been around since the 1960s, first being primarily used in digital clocks and television remote controls.

LEDs work by passing electrons through a semiconductor, which creates electroluminescence. These light bulbs don’t require filaments like incandescent bulbs, nor do they rely on gas like halogens or fluorescents. They also don’t burn out or need to warm up like fluorescent bulbs do.

LED Lightingl Lowers your electric bill

LED bulbs use far less energy than incandescent or fluorescent lighting. In fact, they use at least 75% less energy than incandescent lighting. It’s easy to see how this can help you save on expenses.

Yes, LEDs may cost more at the outset, but they offer bigger savings. In addition to saving on your energy bill, LEDs have an amazing lifespan, lasting, on average, 20 years or 10,000 hours of use. During that lifespan, you will recoup the initial cost of the product through energy savings.

LEDs Don’t Contain Mercury

LEDs are mercury-free, which makes them more eco-friendly. Standard fluorescent bulbs use an electric current to energize mercury vapor, which produces short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor coating on the inside of the lamp to glow. When these bulbs break, special cleanup and recycling is mandated by law.

LEDs Provide More Natural Light

Next time you’re in a room with fluorescent lights, pay attention to the subtle green hue they produce. High-quality LED bulbs come much closer to replicating natural light than fluorescents.

Lumens Indicate Brightness

You’ll find some amount of confusion regarding bulb brightness and color. Brightness is measured in lumens, not watts. In incandescent lamps, brightness, were a direct result of the lamp’s wattage. Today, LED bulbs are much brighter (i.e. higher lumens) but use a much lower wattage.

Kelvin = Color

All standard bulbs produce white light; however, within that white light a color temperature scale exists called the Kelvin (K) scale. On the scale, white light can lean warmer – a yellow or reddish hue in the 2700K to 3500K range – or it can have a cooler, blueish hue closer to late afternoon on a clear day falling between 5000K and 6500K. The temperature of the light is highly important to the look and feel of the intended space and application.

LEDs Aren’t as Hot

Incandescent and fluorescent lamps project heat as well as light. LEDs still produce heat, but they don’t project it. Instead, they slowly distribute it from their “heat sync.” This means that the lamp or fixture isn’t adding a huge amount of extra heat to your home, office or facility that your air conditioning has to compensate for.

If you’re looking to reduce your energy costs and to minimize your environmental impact, then LED lighting is a great option.