This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

LEDs Are Your Best Bet For Home Lighting

A little bit of information on different light bulb choices. It could also free us from the need for a new power plant.

These days everyone is trying to save money but some times there are things you just can’t go without buying. Light bulbs are a good example of that. But fear not, there are ways to save money when buying light bulbs. And not only will you save green but you can be green with your choices.

The first energy efficent light bulbs on the market were CFLs, Compact Florescent Lights; they use less energy then the typical incandescent bulb but didn’t win over the hearts and minds of every consumer.  Some people don’t like the color they put out, or they bought the wrong ones that were not bright enough, and, in addition to that, it’s not something you are supposed to just throw into the trash when it burns out due to the mercury inside. CFLs work by two electrodes exciting the mercury which then emits an ultraviolet light. That light becomes visible to us when it hits the frosted gas.

Energy Star’s website says that CFLs use, “about 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer,” and, “Produces about 75% less heat, so it's safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.” Furthermore, they report that, “The United States could eliminate greenhouse gas emissions equal to 800,000 cars if each household in the country replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb.”

Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A few years ago a new light came out on the market for consumers around Christmas time, LED Christmas lights where the first mainstream consumer LED product.  Not long after that LED light bulbs for indoor use in common house lamps hit the market. They were very expensive and did not sell well. A few months ago the prices drop significantly because manufacturers know they need to drop the price to get consumers to buy them. They are still more expensive then the CFLs which can be more expensive then the incandescent. But that expense is only an up front cost. Both the CFLs and LEDs will pay for themselves and then save you money. Who doesn’t like saving money?

Consumer Reports tests show that the LEDs are a lot like the same color of incandescents, which should make consumers who fear change the most feel more comfortable. The standard incandescent bulb will last for about 1000 maybe 2000 hours while an LED will last 18 to 46 years (both tests, tested at 3 hours a day use). Consumer Reports testing stopped at 9000 consecutive hours with the LEDs still shining just as bright as when they were turned on.

Find out what's happening in Santeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Another great thing about LED light bulbs is that their low energy needs makes small scale solar projects more practical. Think about it, if you use less electricity you would need less panels, less panels equals less money spent on your new photovoltaic system! Conserving more energy will also rid us of the need for new power plants to be built, like Quail Brush Power Plant. Power plants are notoriuous eye sores that spew toxins into the air which invetiably ends up in your body. According to the EPA, burning natural gas releases nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, Methane and other toxins. NaturalGas.org, a pro natural gas website confirms this.

Next time your bulb burns out definitely do not buy an incandescent bulb, you’re throwing your money away! The CFLs are good and getting better; 60-65% less mercury, a better light color and they are brighter. CFLs have a couple extra dollars attached to the price tag but will quickly pay for themselves and save you approximately $30 over their life (4-5 years). LEDs are your best bet. Yes they are expensive, but only to buy. Running them cost pretty much nothing, especially compared to their incandescent counterparts and they last for almost forever so you won’t need to worry about having back ups if they burn out all of a sudden. The can last for more years then my age, which is crazy to think about.

At my house we just switched out some of our old CFLs for LEDs. In the bathroom we used to have four incandescents, and then switched it to three to four CFLs, depending on the brand. Now we have just two LED light bulbs and it is brighter then it has ever been in there. I am actually thinking about maybe turning one off, but I don’t know yet.

Here is a link to a light bulb comparison chart that will more then likly be quickly outdated as technology continues to evolve rapidly. SDG&E also has light bulb exchanges periodically across the country to keep up apperances. These are great chances to turn in your old inefficent lights and get some new energy savers for free. I will keep an eye out for upcoming events and share them here on the Santee Patch.

Rememeber, to flex your power and save energy when you can. It's good for your pocket book and its good for the planet.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?