So, you're thinking about making the switch to LED's

Congrats! You’ve decided to upgrade or replace that old incandescent, halogen, or CFL bulb you have. Or much more likely, the old bulb you have burned out (way to quickly by the way). So, what’s the deal with this LED thing everyone is talking about?

LED technology has been around for years but has recently become more mainstream as the cost has come down significantly. Where a regular A19 LED lightbulb would have cost $20 to $30 ten years ago, one can find a plethora of LED bulbs in all the regular color temps (kelvin) for $2 and under.

Click here to learn about color temperature

So, what do you gain by going with an LED bulb over any of the older technologies? The number one benefit of using LED technologies is the (usually) significant energy saving you can get. A typical 60-watt equivalent LED bulb should use, depending on the brand, between 7 and 9 watts of power. Multiply the savings throughout a typical house, and wattage reduced can quickly add up. For instance, 10 60w incandescent lamps burning 8 hours a day will cost $224 per year, while the same 10 lamps if 6w LED will cost $22.49 per year.

Another benefit of LED technology is the longevity. Where a typical 60w Incandescent bulb may last for 6000 to 8000 hours, LED bulbs have the capability of lasting 30,000 to 50,000 hours. While those numbers vary greatly depending on the quality and brand of the bulb, not having to change the bulbs in your house every 6 months, can be a great relief.

With Incandescent bulbs being phased out, and LED becoming as prevalent as they are, it won’t be long before LED becomes the new normal.