When it comes to the actual bulb that we are putting into our lighting fixtures it is something that we often don’t pay much attention to. As long as we have something that works, it’s usually good enough. There are some of us out there that have seen the importance of using more efficient lighting, and have made the switch to newer technologies. This can be seen with advancements such as the compact fluorescent as opposed to the incandescent. However, there is not just good reason to pay attention to how this that can effect your budget over the long term, but it can actually have an impact on the planet as a whole.
Changing to a new kind of technology can be frustrating, particularly when you feel like you have already invested so much. The thing to remember, especially when it comes to cool LED lights, is that the cost is actually much different then you might think if you look at the bigger picture.
To begin with, LED (light emitting diodes) lighting is much more costly initially than standard lighting, such as incandescent or compact fluorescent. Typically the standard bulb will cost you somewhere in the area of about $1.99, whereas LED lighting will cost as much as $20.00 for just a single bulb. This may seem like a huge variation and something that is somewhat of a deal killer, but it isn’t. Before you cast judgment first consider that the incandescent bulb has a general lifespan of about 750 hours. This is about the same as running the bulb for about a month strait. The compact fluorescent bulb lasts 10,000 hours, or about a year or so running non stop. The most remarkable bulb is LED lighting, which can last as long as 100,000 hours, or approximately 11 and a half years without turning it off.
If you take into account the amount that it would cost to buy enough incandescent bulbs to last as long as one single LED bulb you would have to spend nearly $250. Compared to the $20 you would have to spend on the LED it seems that the real cost variation is to the disadvantage of standard lighting.
In addition to the initial cost, another important factor to consider is the over all power usage. A 40 watt bulb is about what is necessary to illuminate a room sufficient to read in. In order to light up this same amount of light using LED Christmas lights it would take only about 1.5 watts. This is an amazing difference and one that can have not only a positive impact on you and your budget, but also the world that you live in.
Tags: LED Lights, light