Why you Should Upgrade your CFLs to LEDs

Did you know that electric lighting uses up 25% of a run-of-the-mill home energy budget?

That’s a lot!

If only you could use candles or the glare from your smart phone to illuminate your home. Unfortunately, this is not possible and you’re stuck using light bulbs to brighten up your house.

In order to save money and electricity it’s a good idea to upgrade your CFLs to LEDs.

An LED bulb is a Light Emitting Diode while a CFL is a Compact Fluorescent Light. If you have CFL bulbs in your home you will notice that they are basically mini versions of the big fluorescent lights used in office buildings but give off a much gentler light.

LEDs on the other hand are smaller and more efficient than CFLs. They provide more value for your money since they last longer. Currently, a set of LED bulbs cost more than a set of CFLs, but you will reap the benefits over the long-term as LEDs do not have to be replaced as often.

You may associate LEDs with Christmas lights and you wouldn’t be wrong. Originally LEDs were used to power smaller objects like flashlights, decorative lighting and headlamps. Nowadays they have been upgraded to spread their light in wider beams and can be used in standard household light fixtures.

The LED lights of today are no longer limited to single-bulb items. They are composed of as many of 180 bulbs per cluster that are encased in diffuser lenses. These lenses spread the light through wider beams.

There are numerous advantages to switching your CFLs to LEDs:

• LEDs are long-lasting and can last up 10 times as long as compact fluorescents.
• LEDs are durable because they do not have filaments like regular bulbs and are really hard to break.
• LEDs do not allow heat to build up which means they will always be cool to the touch. They only produce 3.4 Btu per hour. Traditional lighting produces 85! That’s a big difference.
• LEDs are mercury-free. Although the mercury contained in a single CFL bulb is not hazardous to your health, it’s always better to use a mercury-free option if you use multiple light sources in your home.
• Some LEDs use only 2.17 watts of electricity. That’s 1/3rd less than a comparable CFL bulb with equivalent light output.

Converting to LED lighting will save you money over time. If LEDs are good enough for your Christmas lights, they’re good enough for your home!