Electrical Panels
Professional Electricians in Richland Hills, TX

Your choice of lighting can have a major effect on the ambiance and comfort of your Richland Hills, TX home. Although incandescent lights are valued for their soft, comfortable glow, they’re significantly costlier to use than LED lights. They also generate a substantial amount of heat. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), convert more electricity into light energy and often remain cool to the touch. Read on to find out why they’re the most cost-effective choice for your indoor and outdoor lighting and learn how to use them effectively.

Why LED Lights Are More Efficient Than Incandescent Bulbs

According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), LED lights are up to 90% more efficient than incandescent lights. LED lights emit almost 100% of the energy they use as visible light. To compare, incandescent lights lose as much as 98% of the energy they consume as heat.

This partly explains the dramatic difference in brightness between LED bulbs and incandescent bulbs. Once used exclusively in traffic and indicator lights, LEDs are now manufactured in white light and for many residential, commercial, and industrial applications. In certain settings, the brighter light that LEDs emit also allows building residents to rely on fewer light sources. For instance, if you’re reading in your living room and have incandescent bulbs installed, you might need both your reading lamp and your overhead light to see clearly. With LED lights, either of the two lighting options will suffice on its own.

Using Lots of Incandescent Lights Can Raise Your Indoor Temperature

Incandescent light bulbs also produce enough heat to greatly impact HVAC-related energy use, especially in late spring and summer. If you only use incandescent bulbs throughout your home, your air conditioner or heat pump will work harder to create and maintain the cool, comfortable conditions you want. Not only will pay more to use these light bulbs, but you’ll also pay more for indoor climate control.

The Many Benefits of LED Lights

Consumers either love or hate LED lighting. It’s bright, cool, and efficient, but for some, it may be too bright. However, even if you aren’t impressed with their efficiency or light quality, LED lights trump incandescent bulbs in many ways.

Better Directional Lighting

LED lights provide excellent focused lighting or directional lighting. This makes these bulbs perfect for task lighting, under-counter lighting, and outdoor safety and security lighting. If you have yet to give LED bulbs a try, consider integrating them into your outdoor lighting plan first.

Greater Longevity

According to the DOE, LED lights can last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. This also contributes to their greater economy. Although an LED bulb will cost two to three times more upfront, you’ll have to replace your incandescent bulbs many times over before your LED bulbs reach the ends of their lifespans. Investing in light bulbs with significantly longer lifespans also means fewer trips to the store or fewer online orders, and a smaller carbon footprint overall.

Easy Controllability

Connecting LED lighting to dimmer switches is as easy as connecting incandescent lights to dimmers, especially when you have a professional handle your lighting upgrades. You can still enjoy adaptable ambiance throughout your home. You can also create areas with gentle, uniform lighting by layering lights and choosing LED bulbs with lower intensity. Tactics like adjusting the distance of lighting and bouncing light off of reflective surfaces also support light diffusion and provide a softening effect.

Fewer Carbon Dioxide Emissions

LED lights are responsible for far fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. According to one study by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), replacing just one incandescent bulb with an LED bulb in every home could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by nine billion pounds. This makes these bulbs an excellent choice for commercial buildings when company owners are interested in reducing their carbon footprints.

Light bulbs produce CO2 in two ways. Also known as grey emissions, their emissions are indirect and hidden. Although they don’t combust fuel and create GHGs in the process, producing the electricity that powers light bulbs often does. Because incandescent bulbs use significantly more electricity than LED bulbs, they’re responsible for greater GHGs.

The manufacturing processes for all light bulbs result in GHG emissions as well. Given that LED bulbs can last up to 25 times longer than their alternative, homeowners and commercial property owners use a lot less of them over time. The longer lifespans of LED bulbs also mean that consumers are putting less waste into local landfills.

LED Lights Are Less Likely to Cause Burn Injuries

Switching to LED light bulbs will also make your lighting fixtures safer. Given that they produce less heat, they’re less likely to be hot to the touch. Although LED light bulbs still require careful handling, they won’t have the same skin-searing effect on contact that incandescent bulbs do. Best of all, their lower temperatures also limit the risk of combustion or bulb explosions.

Why Are Some Homeowners Hesitant to Switch to LED Lights?

In addition to having higher upfront costs, LED lights may buzz, hum, or flicker when paired with incompatible dimmer switches. They also produce more blue light than incandescent bulbs and have an ultra-bright, white glow. However, as LED lights increasingly replace incandescent bulbs in both homes and businesses, dimmer-switch compatibility is becoming far less of a problem. Many lighting fixture and accessory manufacturers are adding design elements that naturally diffuse and soften this light to make it easier on the eyes and more adaptable.

How Much Can You Save By Switching to LED Lights

The average electricity rate in Texas is 14.58 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). The most common LED light bulbs for residential use are between 4 and 20 watts. At this rate, it could cost between $7 and $8 to operate a relatively low-watt incandescent bulb for 1,000 hours. It would cost between $2 and $3 to operate a comparable LED bulb for the same amount of time.

With longer bulb lifespans, homeowners can spend less on light bulbs overall even though they’ll pay more for these upgrades. With less heat added to your home by each light bulb you use, you can also enjoy lower HVAC-related energy costs. In every way, LED lights are the most cost-effective choice for lighting the interior and exterior of your home. With electricity rates fast-rising, making this switch is also a great way to buffer yourself against inflation and rate volatility.

Incentives for Switching to LED Lights

There are many financial incentives for making the switch to LED lights. Many utility companies throughout Texas offer rebates of $2 to $19 per lamp or fixture in rental units. They also provide generous rewards for homeowners who switch to LED lighting in their primary residences. At the federal level, homeowners may be qualified to receive the 179 D tax credit for LED upgrades that reduce energy consumption by at least 25%.

Before switching to LED lighting, contact your utility company to learn which rewards programs are available in your area and for your project type. You can also work with a licensed electrician when making these upgrades to get help choosing qualifying products.

We’re proud to serve Richland Hills, TX and surrounding cities. As a family-owned business, we’re committed to providing excellent customer service and workmanship. We offer top-notch residential and commercial electrical services. Our clients can also turn to us for plumbing services, home generators, EV charging stations, and ceiling fan installations. To find out more or schedule an appointment, get in touch with HR Phoenix now.

company icon