Are you still using incandescent light bulbs? As we all know that home lighting accounts for about 20% of the average home’s electricity bill. So switching to compact flourescent or LED bulbs will cut down your electricity bill.
Here are the pros and cons for LED:
LEDs
LED technology allows for a large amount of light to come from a small source of energy without giving off much heat.
Costs: At up to $100 per bulb (although many cost between $20 and $30), converting an entire home to an all-LED lighting system could wind up costing thousands of dollars upfront.
But, like computers and iPhones, LED bulbs will likely get cheaper over time, likely making them a more convincing lighting option.
“The cost of bright LEDs has dropped 95% in the last 10 years and 30% in the last three,” says William Greenhoe, president of PiSAT, a company that makes solar powered LED lanterns and flashlights.
Pros: Each LED light bulb, which uses direct and powerful light emitting diode technology, can last up to 50,000 hours. That’s five and a half hours a day every day for 25 years.
Also, LED bulbs don’t get as hot as incandescent bulbs, which could make them more safe and efficient for commercial use, especially if they’re left on 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Cons: Converting your home lighting system to all LEDs may not be a good idea if you live in a very cold climate, says Cunningham, citing reports that Canadian consumers switching to LED bulbs eventually had greater demands on their home heating systems due to low heat output from LED bulbs.
And though some companies guarantee their bulbs for life, many LED bulbs are only guaranteed for a year or a few years.
“LEDS are just coming onto the market, so there’s not a lot of regulation right now or information on whether or not they’re going to fulfill their 50,000 hour promises,” says Cunningham.