Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs can cut your electric cost 75-80%. These bulbs are energy efficient, last for decades, and give off good light. Yet, with the different shapes and colors of light, it can be difficult to know what to compares to your current bulbs. Keep these five rules in mind when purchasing your LED bulbs.
High Traffic Lighting
Replace bulbs as they burn out, but do so in the light fixtures that get the most use. Look for those high-traffic areas in your home and survey the bulbs in those rooms. When one or some of those need replacing, purchase your new LEDs.
Watt To Look For: Lumens
While watts measure how much energy your bulb draws, lumens measure the brightness your bulb will provide. To replace the common watt bulbs, look for these lumens:
Color Ranges
LED bulbs offer a range of colors from warmer yellow-white to a whiter white to a blueish white. The light color, as determined by the Kelvin Scale, should be marked on the packaging. Lower Kelvin numbers designate warmer-colored lights. High Kelvin numbers indicate a bluer light color. You can expect to find bulbs within the 2700 – 6500 Kelvin Scale range.
Shape Matching
Replacing your incandescent bulb with an LED bulb may leave you installing one with a different shape. Standard, globe, candle, flood, spot, and the popular, MR16 bulbs provide a variety of shapes for your different lighting fixtures.
Specific for Dimmers
Not every LED is compatible with home dimmer switches. Obviously, you want to read the bulbs’ packaging. Another option is to replace your dimmer switches with those rated for both CFL and LED bulbs. Manufacturers of these dimmers provide a list of bulbs verified to work with their device.
The sooner you replace your bulbs with LEDs, the sooner you will begin reaping the savings. Sketch out a chart for your home lighting and be prepared the next time a bulb burns out.
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