3 Things You Need to Consider Before Buying a LED Bulb

Advantages of LED bulbs have been discussed at great length in advertising and blogs. We all know that LED lights are one of the most energy efficient lightning sources for homes and offices today. Replacing incandescent or halogen bulbs with LED lights can make a significant difference to your final monthly bill and they are also environmentally safe unlike CFLs. Although the upfront cost is higher than a traditional bulb, the savings you make will easily outweigh the extra cost and give you an awesome return on your investment. LED bulbs also have an unmatchable life span.

But before you decide to go on a shopping spree in order to replace every old school bulb in your home or office with LED lighting, here are a few things that you should know.

1. Lumens determine brightness for LEDs …. Not watts: The power of a traditional bulb is measured in watts. But next time when you go for shopping for an LED bulb, you need to measure the brightness in lumens and not watts! Lumen (lm) is a unit for measuring the brightness of a lighting source and is not the same as watt. Wattage is not a measurement of brightness but how much energy the light bulb uses. Since energy consumption is extremely low on LEDs, you won’t need to bother about their wattage. Just look for the lumen value.  Most LED bulbs or fixtures will have printed on the package “equivalent to” a certain wattage of incandescent or halogen to help you find the correct replacement.
2. If you want dimmable LED bulbs, check whether they comply with traditional dimming switches: It is hassle-free to buy a non-dimmable LED bulb but if you put them on a dimming circuit they will quickly fail.  Before selecting a dimmable LED bulb, you need to check whether they work with traditional or older dimmers which are generally designed for incandescent bulbs.  If your new LED bulbs are flickering or not dimming properly on your old dimmer switch then you will have to spend a few extra bucks to replace the old switch with one which has been developed specifically for LED bulbs.
3. Not all LEDs function optimally inside a luminaire: LEDs run much cooler than incandescent or halogen bulbs. However, they still dissipate heat into the surroundings. The heat produced by an LED bulb or fixture is drawn from the LED circuit into a heat sink at the base of the bulb from which it escapes. But, if an LED bulb is enclosed inside a light fixture or luminaire, the heat may get trapped and directed back to the LED bulb. This would reduce the life span of the bulb drastically and also affect its performance. It is generally better to replace recessed can lights with a LED fixture designed for a can instead of just replacing the old bulb with an LED bulb because the LED fixtures are designed to dissipate the heat in a way that protects the LED circuit.

Now that you know more about LEDs, you can confidently place an online order for the perfect LED that will illuminate your living space or add more to the décor of your room. Just make sure that you choose the right color and you will have the best lighting experience. Still confused? Give us a call and we will discuss your project and help guide you to the best LED choice!

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