Lighting the Way- LED Bulbs

So, here is comes! A second post, whoohooo! Yay go me! haha! I have been trying to balance school-studying and blogging unsuccessfully, so I hope to get a better pattern down in the future! But here is the goal: every post will have a "Gist" section at the beginning which will outline the simple key facts of the post in 1-5 points. If you have time, or are interested keep reading for the details. Otherwise, take the info and run with it!

The GIST

1. LED's use 83% less energy than incandescent bulbs!!!

2. They can last up to 22.8 years (based on 3 hours/day usage)

3. Membership Big Box Stores generally sell them the cheapest: I have seen boxes of 8 60w equivalents for $15.99 can.

4. All sorts of styles are made: vintage Edison, halogen, pot-lights, track-lights, table lamps and flush mounts.

Edison Bulbs: Super Fashionable, Not Super Efficient. Check out LED Edison styles!

The Details:

So why make the change?

LED bulbs such as this 60W Equivalent Daylight bulb by EcoSmart only uses 10W or 83% less energy than a incandescent bulb. Additionally the manufacturer says it lasts up to 22.8 years (based on 3 hours/day).

LED light bulbs have been on the market for a few years now, but haven't really caught on. In Canada incandescent light bulbs were banned and phased out about 5-6 years ago and replaced with CFL's or compact fluorescent lights - those curly light bulbs.

LED's are versatile and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes for all applications. Regular lamp style bulbs are available in addition to vintage Edison styles, globe, candelabra and pot-light styles. Bright white and soft white options are available, so you can set the mood in any room or outdoors.

Why ditch the CFL's?

Well we don't have to ditch the CFL's entirely. They are extremely affordable products so it makes them appealing for most households. A Philips13W CFL - 60W Incandescent Equivalent - says it has a 10,000 hour lifespan, or approximately 9 years (based on 3 hours per day of usage). They have an incredible lifespan compared to incandescent bulbs and at 75% more effiecient, they are a definite improvement. Nevertheless LED bulbs are much more energy efficient and long lasting. In addition, CFL's need to be handled and disposed of a little more carefully than traditional incandescents and LED's since they contain mercury. Additionally they produce a limited amount of UV raditation at distance of 11 inches or closer according to a 2009 Canadian Government study. This makes CLF's not ideal for desk lamps or for areas in which they could be tampered with by children.

So, where can we begin to utilize LED's in place of CFL's?

In our home we began with areas which are difficult to access but are used very frequently such as hallways and staircases. In our condo we have a high traffic hallway/foyer/laundry room which means the light is on a large part of the day. If this light burns out, I am hooped without the Mr. since I am too short to reach them even on a chair. So why not use an LED there and never have that problem again?

As well, we had an original track-light fixture in our old condo kitchen which used halogen bulbs. Not only was the piece dated, it was inefficient and HOT! It felt like a food warmer in a fast food restaurant haha. So on our bi-yearly visit to Costco we impulse bought a modern chrome multi-lamp LED fixture. We LOVE it! It casts a bright warm white light and floods the space perfectly. Check it out! Stylish and Efficient! The downside, like with many products, this was likely imported from overseas. This means it's Ecological Footprint is likely quite large due to transportation costs and manufacturing costs.

Now that we have moved to out townhouse, we are beginning all over again with switching our fixtures! We are replacing the bulbs in our "boob lights" with LED's (they were all incandescent) and have replaced the hot halogen bulbs from the spotlights in the living room. In our bedroom we replaced the entire fixture with a awesome drum shade and put in LED 40W bulbs.

Another spot where I want to make the change is on my desk and a spotlight over my fireplace. They both have halogen bulbs which produce excess heat. And remember, excess heat is a sure sign of energy inefficiency, so if it's hot, lets not. I want swap out my student-inspired halogen desk lamp with a chic chrome lamp and sub-in an LED bulb instead of the stock incandescent they come with typically. Additionally I would hesitate to install a CFL bulb in a desk lamp due to its proximity to my face since we don't need any additional aging agents right? Right.

I would love to hear back from you guys about the changes you are making or ideas you would like me to look into, so don't be shy and leave me a message in the comment section!

#LED #energyeffieciency #Energy #Chic #RONA #CityMarket #Loblaws #Incandescent #CFL #Halogen #EcoSafe #EverydayEssentials #UV #Costco #SavingMoney