Benefits of using LED Lighting

by DoItYourself Staff

If you are considering switching to LED lighting in your home and are mulling over its benefits, there are many things to consider. LED technology, (Light Emitting Diodes) was invented in 1907 in Great Britain, but the refinement of this lighting source has taken many years to become what it is today, one of the newest and most promising technologies in today’s marketplace. LED lighting, unlike conventional incandescent technology, creates light through the process of electroluminescence rather than through heat. So, what are the benefits of LED lighting? There are many. They are as follows:

Decreased Energy Consumption

If you have investigated the initial cost of LED light fixtures, you are aware that it is considerably higher than the initial cost of traditional incandescent or florescent lighting. Nonetheless, you must consider the following when determining whether or not to purchase LED bulbs, and that is the cost of the bulbs versus the reduction in energy costs to the user of these fixtures.

LED lighting will greatly reduce power consumption, as an LED circuit is able to convert electrical energy to light energy at 80 percent efficiency—compared to 20 percent efficiency with an incandescent bulb. Unlike an incandescent 40 watt bulb, very little energy in an LED bulb is converted into heat. Because an LED bulb does not create heat, thus reducing power costs considerably. Specifically, it lowers the amount of heat otherwise emitted from incandescent bulbs in your home during the summer months. This reduction in power use also reduces the cost of air conditioning in your home.

Durability

An LED lamp will typically provide up to 50,000 hours of life and in some cases even 100,000 hours–which translates to about 11 years of wear if used continuously, and 22 years if used at a 50 percent usage level. When you compare this to the 5,000 hours of use from an incandescent bulb or 15,000 for a florescent bulb, you can better appreciate the savings in power consumption. The use of LED’s is particularly practical and valuable in hard-to-reach areas of your home where it is difficult to replace a bulb (high ceilings, over stairways, etc.). In these inaccessible areas, conversion to LED lighting would, in the long run, save time, cost and labor in having to change bulbs.

Resiliency

LED bulbs are far more durable and resilient than other types of light bulbs because they have no moving elements and there is no fragile glass that can so easily become broken. Because of their durability, they are less likely to break or shatter and will therefore last longer.

Quick On and Off Response Time

Light is produced in an LED bulb the instant it is turned on. This is because the electroluminescence process happens instantly. Therefore, when using an LED bulb, complete brilliance of the light can be achieved instantaneously.