LED bulbs – Have you seen the light?
LED bulbs are the biggest revolution in lighting since Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879.
They can slash energy bills and LED- associated technology has improved in recent years making them an excellent option for the home or office.
You don’t have to sacrifice style for economy with today’s LED bulbs which have attractive designs.
LED stands for Light-emitting Diodes. LEDs are made up of small capsules or lenses in which tiny chips are located on heat-conducting material.
LED bulbs are robust and the life of a high-power white LED is estimated at 35,000 to 50,000 hours- that’s around 25 times the lifetime of an old-fashioned incandescent bulb and twice the lifetime of a linear fluorescent tube! Out of all the energy-saving bulbs on the market, LED bulbs will save you the most money, although they are more expensive to buy initially.
Selecting LED bulbs
When choosing LEDs, consider:
- The size and shape of the bulb you want
- The fitting (for example, bayonet, screw, small screw, etc.)
- The light temperature you want (this is measured on the Kelvin scale. For a warm yellow light similar to an old-fashioned bulb choose a temperature of 2,700, and for a more clinical light for a workspace, go higher)
- The brightness you need from your LED bulb (this is measured in lumens). You’ll need around 400 for a bedside light and maybe 1500-3,000 for a large living space or an office of a similar size. To get enough light in a large space you’ll need more than one bulb.