LEDs Light the Future
It’s been over 125 years since Edison invented the incandescent light bulb and so it’s about time for a major revolution in the lighting industry. Get ready! The revolution is coming in the form of LED’s.
Light-emitting diode technology is already widely used in commercial buildings, automobiles and aircraft. And LED technology for all household uses and applications is becoming more and more common at stores everywhere.
What are the advantages of LED bulbs?
– They save money and energy because they use only 2 to 10 watts to operate.
– They last a very long time: about 50,000 hours. This translates to over 10 years of typical household use! Compare their extraordinary life to incandescent bulbs (1,000 hours), halogen bulbs (2,000 hours), and compact fluorescent bulbs (10,000 hours).
– They’re environmentally friendly because they’re made from non-toxic materials, as compared to fluorescent bulbs which contain Mercury.
So what are their disadvantages?
– LED’s have a high upfront purchase cost.
– Their light color can be harsh and inconsistent from bulb to bulb.
– Some LED’s cannot be dimmed.
– The shape of the LED’s can be distracting.
Of course, as time goes on and technology advances, we’ll see most if not all of these disadvantages disappear. Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll include a video about OLED’s… the latest hot topic in lighting innovation. And see my article about florescent bulbs from Aug 2010.
Read the latest about LEDs for Your Home.
Lisa Stewart is an interior designer serving the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, NC.
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