By now you have probably heard that you should switch your light bulbs to LEDs. It’s one of those pieces of advice that you hear so often that you probably forget where your first heard it or how long it’s been on your to do list. It’s also probably still near the bottom of that list.
Most of us already have working light bulbs at home, and LEDs tend to cost a little more to buy, so it might feel like there’s no urgency to make the change. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth swapping out all of your bulbs in one go. Let’s take a look at the reasons to move to LED light bulbs.
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Savings on your electricity bills
For most people, lighting accounts for around 11% of your electricity bills and switching your halogen light bulbs to energy efficient LEDs can cut those lighting costs by up to 80%. In other words; the savings with LEDs add up fast.
For each light bulb you replace with an LED light bulb, you will see immediate savings on your energy bill. While LEDs are often a little more expensive than their halogen counterparts, that cost is offset by a reduction in your bills. On average, you could save around €7 a year for every light bulb you change.
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LED bulbs last longer
LED light bulbs don’t just save money in the short term either. The average LED bulb will last up to ten times longer than a Halogen bulb. A conventional bulb has a lifetime of about 2,000 hours while standard LED light bulbs have a lifetime up to 20,000 hours. Longer lasting bulbs mean fewer replacements and lower overall cost to light your home.
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LEDs do the same job, better
One other reason some people have been reluctant to move to ‘energy saving’ light bulbs is that they remember the first time they tried an original ‘energy saving’ compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb. And how long it took for it to actually light the room. LEDs are different.
They light up instantly and can produce the same colour and intensity of light as your old halogens. In fact, you can now buy smart LED bulbs that allow you to control the intensity and colour of the light from your smartphone. Whether you’re setting the mood in the living room or looking for task lighting in the kitchen, LEDs have it covered.
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They are better for the environment
LED light bulbs use up to 85% less electricity than traditional light bulbs and 95% of that energy is converted to light with only 5% wasted as heat. Not only does that energy efficiency save money on your bills, it also reduces your impact on the environment. They are also mercury free, making them more environmentally friendly all around.
Switching to LEDs may be on the list of things you’ll get to eventually. After you get through the pile of other ‘to-dos’ that all feel just as urgent. However, it is worth pushing it to the top of the list. You’ll see the difference in your bills straight away, and it’s hard to beat that feeling of knowing you have done something positive for the environment.
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