As the world consumes more and more energy every day and energy prices continue to skyrocket, many people are finding it a necessity to use energy efficient products in their homes and businesses. One of the premier opportunities to upgrade the efficiency of any building is LED lighting. Energy efficiency, in terms of LEDs, means that the same amount of light is achieved while consuming far less power when compared to incandescent or even fluorescent lighting.
This means that more of the power you pay for is converted to usable light, in short: more bang for your buck. However, energy efficiency is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of LED lighting – here are a few more important factors to think about when considering LED lighting:
- Energy Efficient: Of all the electric energy that passes through any standard incandescent light bulb, less than 5% of that energy is converted into visible light. The vast majority is wasted as heat energy. Now if you are trying to use your light bulb to stay warm in the middle of winter or bake a tiny cake, this is a perfect option. On the other hand, if you ever run your air conditioner, your energy inefficiencies are compounded by having to waste power cooling the extra heat that was wasted originally. This is another direct benefit of the energy efficiency of LEDs, they waste so little energy that they are safe to hold. Even after days of non-stop use they are cool to the touch.
- Longevity: Not only will LEDs save you money in electricity costs, they have a much longer lifespan. Incandescent bulbs will last up to 1,000 hours, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) up to 15,000 hours, and LEDs up to 100,000 hours. Just imagine how much waste we are creating by replacing all of the incandescent bulbs and CFLs in our homes, not to mention the environmental hazards created by the use of mercury in CFLs.
- Durability: LED lights are extremely durable! Many people feel as though LEDs are fragile due to their small size, but they are resistant to shock, heat, cold and that spaghetti that just blew up in your kitchen. The best part is they require minimal maintenance, just wipe off that tomato sauce. Great for everything: restaurant, retail, kitchen, signage, and office lighting!
- Clean Light: We mentioned earlier that incandescent bulbs only convert 5% of their energy to visible light. Some of that wasted energy is converted to Ultra Violet (UV) and Infrared (IR) light. This has many negative repercussions, including fading colors and attracting flying insects. LED lights have minimal UV and IR light and are thus ideal for displaying sensitive items or outdoor lighting.
- An example of energy efficiency in Inspired LED Products: Four of our Pro Series 21 LED panels will light up your space using a total of less than 5 watts. Compare this against the halogen equivalent: two 20 watt bulbs. Now not only are you using 12% the power, but your lighting is both more even, spread across 84 individual light sources, and your light is now safe to touch!
LED lights aren’t just good for saving money; they are also great for their versatility, compact size, and ease of installation. Inspired LED can help you renovate your home by creating custom energy efficient LED lights built to fit your needs. For more information, visit our website at www.inspiredled.com.
