At Christmas - and in general - it is better to switch from incandescent or fluorescent lights to LEDs
We all have electric lights in our homes and this includes Christmas lights and, in some cases, the more old-fashioned light fittings that use incandescent light bulbs.
But times have changed: now there is an array of light bulb types available - CFLs, LEDs as well as incandescents. So which type should you choose for your home? Is it worth replacing old-fashioned bulbs? And if so, with what? We'll answer all these questions in this handy guide!
Old vs new light bulb technologies
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So let's start from the beginning: originally, Thomas Edison invented the first incandescent light bulb by harnessing electrical energy in a small glass bulb. For a long time (we're talking centuries), this great invention was the only type of artificial light available in homes. However, this invention was by no means free from flaws.
Incandescent light bulbs consume a lot of electricity and most of it is wasted as heat. These bulbs have high energy consumption rates and also burn out relatively quickly (and need replacing frequently).
The next step in the evolution of lighting was the invention of CFL bulbs (better known fluorescents or neons). These bulbs tend to heat up much less, emit a greater quantity of light, consume less than 1/3 of the energy of incandescents and last more than twice as long! Finally, LED lights arrived on the scene - more on this below...
Why should you choose LED lights?
LED lights are undoubtedly the best from every point of view, however, to be pedantic, they are not exactly light bulbs in a strict technical sense. LED light operation is based on the diode, which is a semiconductor with two terminals capable of generating a flow of current.
LED technology wins on all fronts, and let's see why:
- Consumption: this is the cheapest type of light bulb, with a consumption up to 150% lower than the other technologies!
- Durability: again there is no competition. LEDs last double and triple the times when compared respectively to the two older technologies and this translates into thousands of hours of replacement-free lighting.
- Cost: this could be - or rather was - the only disadvantage of this new technology. In fact, being the most advanced form of electric light, LEDs initial cost used to be much higher than the other types. However, in recent times, the price of LEDs has dropped significantly and they are sold at very competative rates in the marketplace!
If you had any doubts about which technology to use, we hope to have shed some light on this matter for you!
