Originally posted by Chris Horridge on Expert Electrical
Thank you Brit for sharing!

When it comes to home lighting, LED bulbs are the flashy new kid on the block, the one with the latest phone and the edgiest hair who casts everyone else in shadow as soon as they appear. But are we doing our faithful old halogen lights a disservice by all flocking to them and abandoning our trusted old friends? They cost more (considerably so!) than traditional halogen bulbs, after all, so what’s their allure? Is it worth the extra expense to commit to newer technology and abandon reliable, tried-and-tested halogen lighting? The simple answer is yes!

Find a detailed comparison table here.

A traditional halogen bulb’s incandescence comes from heat; the light it produces is a by-product of the heating process. A different process is used to illuminate LEDs. The bulbs provide light by passing electrons through a semi-conductive material, which makes for a far more efficient brand of light production technology.

So what are you waiting for? LEDs will last you around 15 times longer than your halogen bulbs, use 90% less energy (the environment will thank you for this) and will yield an enormous reduction in your electricity costs. Knowing that, who wouldn’t be sold on them?

Originally posted on Downlights Direct

How to Replace All Your Household Bulbs with LEDs

Regular Bulbs

The bulbs that you use most often, found in table lamps and overhead lights are your regular bulbs. If you think that replacing your regular light bulbs with LEDs will result in cold, bright, white light, then you can think again, because this really isn’t the case. The iconic bulb might not look as good in LED form, but that doesn’t mean that its light quality is worse.

Take a look at these Philips LED Golf Ball lamps, for instance. Only using 4 watts in comparison to a regular 25 watt incandescent bulb, it’s extremely energy efficient (are you bored of hearing that yet?). The best bit though, is that you can choose the cap/base with us, so you can find an LED bulb to match exactly. The colour index of this bulb is one that’s close to sunlight, so your room will feel naturally light. This bulb is dimmable too, making it perfect for the living room or bedroom to create a cosier mood.

Spotlights

In some areas of your home, you need spotlights. Places like the kitchen will need task lighting to make sure that you can see what you’re doing. In these instances, LED lights can offer you bright light to ensure the best visibility. You can buy spotlights as mains lamps, or as single spotlights, so you can tailor it to your room.

Look for ones with a built in transformer, so you don’t have to buy a separate one and your bulbs won’t blow. Take a look at these for a great example of LED spotlights.

Downlights

Downlights are perfect for the bathroom, allowing you to direct task lighting on the bits you need most. LED downlights will mean that you don’t have to replace the bulbs as often any more – and we know how painful it can be – which means that your life is easier, as well as more efficient. Our speciality is downlights, so check out all the different options open to you.

Fluorescent Tubes

If your garage has a fluorescent light in it, and you’re wondering whether you can change these out for LED lights, then you’ll be delighted to know that you can even save money in this area. And while it may not be widely known, LEDs are indeed available as fluorescent tube replacements. They are quieter than fluorescents, they don’t need as much maintenance and you can get warmer colours too.  Take a look at our options here.

So there you have it, all the options to make sure your entire house is as LED-friendly and energy efficient as possible.