Incandescent vs LED Light Bulbs
The Best Light Bulbs for your Maryland, DC, or North Virginia home
The Best Bulb For Your Buck
You can learn which reigns king in the light bulb world today- LED or incandescent.
As far as saving money and getting the most out of it, LEDs are like hybrids while incandescents are like Hummers. LED’s are logically the better bulb in ways such as:
- Cost (more upfront but less over time)
- Energy efficiency (incandescents release 90% as heat, not light)
- Lifespan (~6 years left on 24/7)
Incandescent’s are the opposite, wasting more of your energy and money. You can keep on reading if you want to learn more ways in which LED’s are better.
You can see which is better – LED or halogen bulbs >>
What Are LEDs and Incandescent Bulbs?
Incandescent bulbs are the classic style used for many years as the household light bulb. It produces light by heating wires to the temperature that creates light. These bulbs are slowly phasing out of use.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) uses more advanced technology, the diode, to produce light. The advancements in LED lighting are continuing today, causing drops in price while raising efficiency and lifespan.
Cost
LED
Bulb cost is ~$2 per bulb depending on where and how many you purchase. This is a higher upfront cost, but seeing as how it can last for years the lifetime value is higher than incandescent.
Incandescent
Incandescent bulbs can cost around $1 depending on where and how many you purchase. While the upfront cost can be less than half of LED, over time you will end up paying more.
Energy Efficiency
LED
Instead of letting off a lot of heat and a little light, LEDs do the opposite. The most energy efficient bulb on the market today, LEDs are making advancements to become the best bulb in the world.
Incandescent
90% of the energy is let out as heat and 10% as light. This is the opposite of LEDs which make better use of their energy. Due to this, consumers end up paying more in energy bills than with LEDs.
Lifespan
LED
Depending on where and how often they are used, the same LED light bulb can light a room all the way from birth to college. Left on 24 hours per day they can last roughly 6 years. Their performance can drop near the end, but the technology is still developing.
Incandescent
These bulbs can last up to 3,000 hours depending on where and how often you use them. In terms of years, this means they can last anywhere from 1-2 years. Even though they cost less per bulb, you’d have to spend more in the long run to equal the LED span.
When bulbs burn out it’s best if you know how to dispose light bulbs properly
Color
LED
The coloring can be almost anything you want: warm, bright, mellow, yellow, blue, and even more options. They can even be the exact same color as incandescent bulbs. LEDs have the variety to meet almost any want or need when it comes to lighting.
Incandescent
These bulbs have a warm, beautiful tone to them that was previously unmatched. Anything underneath this light can be seen as it should be in sunlight. But now that LEDs can mimic this light color, incandescents don’t give many unique benefits.
Directionality
LED
These bulbs emit light in a 180-degree range, which may not seem as good as the incandescent 360-degree range. But, the 180 wastes less light and directs it to cover the area it is meant to and not more.
Incandescent
With a 360-degree light emission circle, it seems like the obvious winner. But wait, this light range actually ends up wasting light on areas where it isn’t needed. the 360 emission range is only better in certain areas.
Incandescent vs LED – The Winner Is…
LED light bulbs take the win for the best overall bulb! This is why we like to use LED bulbs when installing landscape lighting around our client’s homes. They make outdoor lighting maintenance easier and will end up costing them less over their lifetime.
You can learn more about the cost of outdoor lighting >>