=====The lighting you choose for your home can make a big impact on not only your space, but your electric bill and even the environment. There a...
The lighting you choose for your home can make a big impact on not only your space, but your electric bill and even the environment. There are many bulbs on the market now, but how do you know what's best for you? Here's our guide to help.
Interested in installing LED lighting inside your home or on your home exterior? Get free quotes from a qualified electrical contractor today and get started making your home a brighter place.
What Is LED Light?
LED stands for light-emitting diode. The diode itself is a tiny light-producing element that mixes red, blue, and green light to create a lovely white light. These energy-saving light bulbs come in a variety of forms to let you design your home lighting any way you like. You can find everything from large studio LED lights that give you plenty of illumination to small LED lights you can use in craft projects. The possibilities are practically endless.
LED And Regular Light Differences
Understanding the answer to the question, "What is the difference between LED lights and regular lights?" helps you make the best decision for your home. LED bulbs typically save you energy because they are more efficient than regular incandescent light bulbs. This also helps the environment because less energy use means reduced greenhouse emissions from power plants. This type of bulb also doesn't emit much heat, so LED bulbs don't get hot to the touch, making them safer than comparable incandescent bulbs.
Installing LED bulbs in your home is simple — they are made to fit into standard light sockets, so you can put an LED bulb anywhere you already had an incandescent light. One big difference in lighting quality is that LED bulbs send light out in a specific direction instead of generally out in all directions. This makes these bulbs well-suited for track lighting and recessed lighting since you don't need reflectors or diffusers to direct the light where you prefer.
Indoor LED Lighting
LED lighting makes a lot of sense when you're outfitting your home interior. LED interior lights offer energy-saving benefits and come in a wide range of light temperature and wattage options so you can layer your home lighting fixtures to create specific effects.
LED can lights recessed into your ceiling can create a dramatic effect, and LED track lights let you aim the beam toward a seating area, workspace, or decorative display. You can use dimmable LED bulbs to lower light levels when you're watching a show or relaxing on the sofa. Make movie night more exciting with a strip of TV LED lights that go around the exterior of your TV screen and create colorful patterns that frame your movie or game.
LED panel lights provide plenty of light to create bright illumination in your kitchen, studio, or work area, and LED ceiling fan bulbs fit into your existing fixture to fill your room with consistent, reliable light.
Using LED Lights Outside
Outdoor LED lights illuminate your house exterior while minimizing your energy bills. Consider replacing incandescent bulbs in your front porch lighting. These bulbs work well in wall-mounted porch lanterns and hanging porch lamps.
If you enjoy outdoor entertaining, you can use LED bulbs in your deck lighting to create a fun backyard zone for friendly get-togethers and barbecues. Add LED landscape lighting to your front or back yard to illuminate plants and pathways at night, or hand-string LED lights above a patio to create a festive vibe during your next backyard party.
Waterproof LED lights in different colors let you add your favorite hue to your home exterior, and they work in any weather, so you can leave your LED light display up all year long. Submersible LED lights work in a pond or pool.
Do LED Lights Save Money?
LED light bulbs tend to cost more than incandescent bulbs, but the cost of operation ends up saving you money in the long run. To answer the question "How much are LED lights?" you need to determine which specific type of bulb you need and whether you plan to install new fixtures in or around your home.
The cost of installing a light fixture depends both on the type of fixture you choose and the labor involved. Individual bulbs tend to be slightly more expensive than traditional incandescent bulbs, but prices continue to drop on standard-sized LED bulbs.
In terms of energy savings, a 12W LED bulb offers an energy savings of 75% to 80% compared to a traditional 60W bulb. The cost difference to operate the LED bulb instead of the regular bulb is about $3.80 per year, so that's how much you can save on energy costs for each bulb you replace in your home.
Other Cost-Saving Light Bulbs
Your light fixtures are an important part of your home and can help you create the precise effect you want in each room. Choosing the right bulbs gives you control over how your home looks and helps you manage energy costs. In addition to LED lights, you might also consider halogen bulbs or CFL bulbs to save on energy costs.
