Top 3 Things To Consider When Shopping For An LED Light Bulb
Choosing the right LED light bulb can be much easier by following a few simple tips
By now, most of us know that LED light bulbs are much more efficient than incandescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs. On average, an LED light bulb can last for years, while an incandescent bulb will only work for a fraction of that time. Additionally, the amount of energy used by incandescent and CFL bulbs is much higher than an LED. Of course LEDs are more costly but, save more over their lifetime especially in cities where electricity is expensive, California, Hawaii, New York, and New England.
New technology requires an adjustment period and will likely involve a bit of a learning curve. While the benefits should have more homeowners replacing their light bulbs there is still confusion. Many homeowners still don’t know how to choose the right LED bulb for their lighting fixtures at home because the language is new and different when discussing LED bulbs. Employees at your local hardware store may only know that LEDs are efficient and cost more than other bulbs.
With homeowners receiving answers like that, there’s no wonder why people are hesitant to make the move to LED. However, buying LED light bulbs for your home does not have to be a difficult process. Here are the top three tips to help you purchase your next LED light bulb:
1. Check the Lumens Level
Lumens are essentially the new watts when it comes to LED light bulbs. Lumens levels show you how bright the light bulb will be and each LED light bulb will display the lumens count on the box. According to Consumer Reports, the simple way to look at it is 60-watt bulbs should be replaced with at least 800 lumens and 75-watt bulbs need at least 1,100 lumens and 1,600 or more for a 100-watt replacement.
2. Know What Fits Your Light Fixture
Getting the exact-sized light bulbs that will fit in your fixture perfectly can be harder than it seems. Luckily, the easiest solution is to simply bring your old light bulbs with you. You can measure them in the store and see exactly what would fit your home lighting fixtures. Or contact our customer service representatives who can help by finding the compatible bulb.
3. Know the Color Spectrum
Once you’ve decided your lumens level, it’s important to choose a color temperature. According to CNET, color temperatures are measured on the Kelvin scale, which gauges the color produced by the light source from yellow low-end spectrum to a light blue on the high end. For more information see our color temperature guide article.
LED light bulbs are typically on the higher end of the Kelvin scale, but there are plenty of LED bulbs that can show warmer colors as well. Always think: the hotter the bulb gets on the color temperature scale, the more blue the light will appear.
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