Our electrical Swansea team compare LEDs to regular bulbs
The market for lighting fixtures is dominated by LED lights. So LEDs are here to stay, even though their popularity has skyrocketed and they may appear to be a fad. But our Swansea electrical team often get asked if it’s better to use LED lights or regular incandescent bulbs.
What are LEDs?
Electronic devices that emit light when an electric current passes through them are called LEDs. As a result, they use less electricity than incandescent lights and produce more light. LEDs can last for decades without losing any of their performance. Which is about 50 times longer than the lifespan of other lighting options. Additionally, because LEDs have a wide range of colour temperatures, they can be used in a variety of settings. From bright white to warm yellow to cool blue – the possibilities are endless!
What light bulbs do you have to choose from?
Generally speaking, there are three popular light bulb options:
- As a child, many of us were exposed to incandescent bulbs, which are commonly referred to as “old-fashioned.” They use a lot of power and last only a short time.
- Compared to incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use significantly less energy.
- Compared to incandescent bulbs, LEDs use less energy and are more visually appealing because they resemble them.
The main difference between each type of bulb is the amount of energy it takes to run. LED bulbs, on the other hand, are what we recommend you pay attention to.
Advantages to using LEDs?
To get to the heart of the matter, let’s look at some of the advantages of using LEDs. Here are a few things our Swansea electrical company wants you to keep in mind:
Cost-effective
In general, LEDs are more efficient and less expensive than incandescent lights. Compared to incandescent bulbs, which can cost as little as £3 but only last a year before burning out, LED bulbs can last up to five times longer. Plus they use a fraction of the electricity, saving you up to £2 in the process.
Long-lasting
You can expect LED bulbs to last much longer than regular light bulbs when it comes to lifespan. LED bulbs last up to 20 years, compared to 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs. This is also longer than the 15,000 to 20,000 hours for fluorescent lamps (though they tend to lose their effectiveness before then).
Energy-efficient
LED bulbs are both long-lasting and energy-efficient. In addition, their colour rendering is superior to that of other lighting sources. Compared to incandescent bulbs, which produce a warm white light (2700 K), LEDs produce crisp daylight tones (2500 K) (5000 K). As a result, they’re perfect for kitchen task lighting because they produce no heat or glare. This is helpful when used late at night for things like cooking or reading recipes.
Environmentally better
LEDs have a huge environmental impact! No air cooling or fans are needed because they do not produce any heat. Unlike traditional incandescent bulbs, LEDs do not need to be cooled. Also, they can last for a long time without needing to be replaced. This means less greenhouse gas emissions during production and use. So less energy is wasted on air conditioning/cooling systems to manage heat buildup. This in return means there’s less demand for electricity – which would otherwise come from fossil fuels like coal or oil that emit greenhouse gases when burned as fuel sources. But you won’t have any hazardous waste after using LEDs. This is because they don’t emit UV rays (which can harm your eyesight), mercury (a toxic metal found in many other types of light bulbs), or other toxic chemicals like lead oxide (another ingredient sometimes found in older lighting systems).
Operates more effectively in colder climates
Among the many advantages of LEDs is the fact that they can be used in extremely low temperatures. In the case of streetlights, for example, the LEDs are designed to provide light even when the temperature drops well below freezing. For example, if you have lights on the roof of your house that must run 24 hours a day, regardless of the weather, this capability is essential. But this is great news if you’re using LED lights outside, where space is at a premium.
There are no harmful UV or heat emissions
Unlike incandescent bulbs, LED lights do not produce any heat or ultraviolet light. So they can be used in almost any environment. For regular bulbs, there is no need for a reflector, and for fluorescent lights, there is no need for UV shielding.
Flexibility in design
LED lights have a wider range of design options, making them more suitable for a wide range of uses. It is possible to design them so that they can be used to replace incandescent bulbs or CFLs in any fixture size. A lampshade or a wall sconce can be used as an example of this versatility. With a wide variety of colours and styles, our Swansea electrical crew will have no problem finding an LED light bulb that matches your home’s decor.
Operation at low voltage
With low-voltage LEDs, the traditional incandescent and halogen lights don’t exist. To put it another way, they use less power to produce the same amount of brightness. Using fewer watts while still getting comparable lighting is a win-win situation. Additionally, low-voltage LED lights can be used in a wide range of other applications where higher voltages would be dangerous or impractical because of their efficiency. But because LED lights don’t have an open flame, they are also safer than other types of bulbs because their glass bulbs don’t shatter when broken (like many incandescent or halogen bulbs do). So as they don’t contain any high-voltage components, they’re also much more flexible than traditional light sources. As a result, you could even put one inside your bike helmet!
Durable
Unlike glass bulbs, LEDs don’t shatter or break when dropped which is why our Swansea electrical staff likes installing them. The reason is you don’t have to worry about picking up broken pieces every time your child drops his toy on the floor. LEDs are also long-lasting. So for children’s bedrooms, this makes them a good choice. This is because you don’t have to worry about replacing them as frequently or spending money on new ones.
Is LED lighting a good idea for your home?
So, do LED lights outperform the alternatives? It’s up to you, in the end, to decide if LEDs are a good fit for your lighting needs or not. But it’s important to keep in mind that LED lights are more expensive. So the initial outlay may be greater than with traditional light bulbs. However, rather than seeing this as a cost, think of it as an investment. You can expect a positive return on your investment because of the savings in energy costs and the positive impact on the environment. For those who want more control over how their home is lit without having to worry about their utility bills, these products are well worth looking into.
Conclusion
Would you like more information about whether or not they’re a better fit for your needs or a quote on installing LED lights? Then please contact a member of our Swansea electrical team and we’ll be happy to provide either.