At this point, LED bulbs are the hybrid cars of lighting. They’re cheaper to operate but cost more upfront than their less-efficient cousins.
There have been LED bulbs, spotlights and smaller lights for years, but now people can buy LED bulbs that give out as much light as a 60-watt incandescent and are designed for use just about anywhere. And rather than purchase them online or in a specialty store, they will be available at Home Depot, Lowes, and no doubt other familiar retail outlets next year.
Weighing cost and light quality, LED bulbs are worth considering right now for downlights and worth keeping an eye on if you have a lot of incandescent bulbs. If you already have a lot of CFLs in places like desktop lamps, don’t expect a quick payback by switching over. But LED bulbs offer some other advantages, notably longer life.
Lighting your living space is obviously a very personal decision, but as you think about upgrading with energy efficiency in mind, here are a few factors to consider.
Cost
The good news on LED bulbss are that these lights, quality-wise, are quite good and they put out enough light for a lot of needs. But there’s no getting around the fact that LED bulbs for general lighting are a new technology that comes with a price premium.
See how LED can save you time, money and energy. Call Steve at 661.305.3332 or email “The Next Generation Lighting Expert” at steve@energyefficientdevices.org
Filed under: Energy Efficiency
Another good reason to buy LEDs is that they put off a whole lot less heat. That means they are a lot safer to use and you can save money on your air conditioning bills.