Using LED Lighting in Your Home

LED lights (Light Emitting Diodes) have been all the rage as of late (actually for a while) but that doesn’t mean that LED lights are appropriate for all home applications.

LED lights from C. Crane Company

Basics of LED lighting:

LED lights have been around for a while, since the 60s, but not until recently have people started using them in homes. LED lights aren’t that complicated but we don’t really want to get technical here. If you’re interested in learning how basic LEDs work read the LED primer at How Stuff Works.

LED lights are good for many lighting applications but not perfect for all home settings.  LED lights by nature are directional which means the light stays in one place. You can’t place a LED system under a desk and expect the light to spread all that well. That said, LED lights can still be part of a smart green lighting plan depending on how you use them.

Benefits of LED lights:

• Burn cool which can help to prevent home fires (at least from your light source).
• Burn efficiently which can save you money and saves energy.
• Consumer Reports recently compared some various LED applications with some regular incandescent bulb applications. The end result was that LED bulbs out-performed the incandescent bulbs.
• LEDs look nice. While they don’t fill a space with light, they are soothing for spaces and seem cleaner -  for example, LED Christmas lights seem really nice and clear compared to regular lights.

Negatives of LED:

• LEDs can cost more than incandescent bulbs, although there are places you can find nice deals plus they last longer.
• Cannot be used for all spaces.They won’t provide enough light (unless used in bulk) for say, a project area.
• May be too dim for outdoor lighting. It’s a toss up. I like the muted, chill look of outdoor LED lighting, but for people who want outdoor full-on illumination, LED is not the way to go.

Where you can use LED lighting in your home….

• LED reading lights in a specific reading area.
• LED bulbs for stairways or closets.
• LED recessed lighting.
• LED linear strip lighting.
• LED night light.
• LED showcase lights – for example to illuminate an art piece or a collection.
• LED lights for cupboard interiors.

Are you using LED lighting in your home? Where?