About 10 years ago I started seeing and reading articles about LED Lamps. Since I like testing out new energy products for home use on my family, I bought about a thousand dollars worth of various types of LED lamps for my home. In the end only about half of the lamps worked. In most instances the color the light gave off was wrong or, the type of light generated wasn’t good for the intended use. Unfortunately all of the dimmer type lamps broke within the first year of use. The reading lamps worked well, so we kept those and removed the general lighting LED lamps. After that, I did not see an advantage at the time to experiment further. But, it seems that time for experimentation is coming up again.
LED Lamps have improved greatly over the last couple of years. Depending on the function of each lamp and the fixture they are set in, there are many decisions that need to be made. ”Decisions? They are light fixtures” you say. When you’re talking about saving the planet, the decisions can be a little overwhelming. The practice of buying energy saving sustainable products isn’t like buying a loaf of bread. The decisions on LED light fixtures range from; glare, day lighting, controls, maintenance, access for replacement, flexibility of use now and over time. The heat generated from the lamp, energy costs and the time of day they are used, the color of the actual light itself, the sound that is given off (yes, sound), the ability to dim or put the light on a three way switch (assuming you are using a switch). Then, you should think about the return on the investment of the light. How long will it take for you to recover the first cost vs. the initial cost of the LED lamp? Looking at the chart below you can see there are great benefits to saving on electric utility costs by using LED lighting, especially if those specific lights are used all the time.
Buy a few or a thousand! See what you think. The new generation of LED lamps is much better than the old crop. Either way, you will be on your way to saving energy, reducing your carbon footprint, and doing something good for the planet.
