Lighting is one of the most important components of a home. Energy costs related to lighting can be substantial and very wasteful. And LED bulbs still generate some questions about it.
There is no getting away from the fact that lighting is one of the most important components of a home. Without it, darkness can make it quite challenging for the occupants to operate at night. Energy bills are occasioned by lighting applications and appliance usage. They remain among the most important bills you’ll have to pay whether you are a homeowner or tenant.
Without an energy-saving lighting system in place, you may end up paying more for your energy consumption than you actually should. You want to use energy-saving light bulbs that will lower your energy consumption and bills by a significant percentage.
On average, a home has 45 light bulbs for its lighting system. Some homes use up to 68 (with chandeliers, vanity, track, accent, etc.). Cost savings should be your most important priority. How will you get to save energy costs with your lighting? Of course, by using energy-efficient bulbs that are designed to save money. But Are LED Bulbs the best option? Let’s see that in this article.
Saving Costs With Your Lighting Needs
Light bulbs for home lighting systems can be broadly categorized into 3 types; standard, CFL (compact fluorescent lamp), and LED (light-emitting diode) equivalents. Unlike standard bulbs, CFL and their LED equivalents serve as energy-efficient options. So, to lower the cost of your energy consumption, you will need to opt for CFL or LED.
To understand the cost savings offered by each type of bulb, let’s consider 3 factors; energy consumption per hour, price, and lifespan.
Energy Consumption Per Hour, Per Bulb
a. Standard: 60 watts.
b. CFL: 14 watts.
c. LED: 8.5 watts.
Price
Standard (incandescent), CFL, and LED bulbs all costs differently. On average, standard and CFL bulbs cost $1.25 and $2, respectively. Meanwhile, an LED equivalent costs $2.50. Assuming you need 68 light bulbs for your entire home, here’s how much you will have to part with;
a. Standard $(1.25 × 68) = $85.
b. CFL $(2 × 68) = $136.
c. LED $(2.50 × 68) = $170.
In this case, LED bulbs would be the most expensive option, requiring you to part with $170. If you pick CFL instead, you will be able to save $34 whereas, if you choose standard bulbs, you would spend only half of what you would have spent on LED Equivalents.
So, when it comes to price, standard bulbs will enable you to save more, a benefit in the short run. When it comes to durability and energy efficiency, the standard bulbs will rate much lower compared to their CFL and LED equivalents–a disadvantage in the long run.
Lifespan
Below are the average lifespans of the different types of bulbs all 60 watts, assuming you leave the lights on continuously:
a. Standard: 750-1000 hours (31-42 days).
b. CFL: 6000-15,000 hours (250-625 days).
c. LED: 10,000-50,000 hours (417-2083 days).
As you can see, a CFL bulb is at least 8 to 15 times more durable than a standard bulb. Meanwhile, an LED bulb has a lifespan that is at least between 1.7 and 3 times longer than a CFL bulb.
Final Thoughts
From the above analyses, it is evident that LED light bulbs provide more cost-saving benefits compared to their CFL counterparts. Besides cost-saving benefits, these bulbs offer a major environmental benefit, which is carbon emission reduction. Remember that light bulbs play a direct role in the emission of this gas. Light bulbs require electricity to generate light. CO2 is created during the generation of electricity that these light bulbs consume. And since LEDs consume less electricity compared to CFL bulbs, these light-emitting diode-based bulbs ensure reduced carbon emissions. Plus, most LED light bulb manufacturing companies are now keen on the use of safe, healthy, and biodegradable materials in the manufacture of their products. This reduces the occurrence of waste materials that can be hazardous to both living things and the environment when these bulbs have become no longer useful.
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