Despite the importance of having adequate lighting, many people don't pay much attention to the type of light bulbs they use. Lighting typically accounts for around 15% of a house's total electricity bills, but this depends in large part on the light bulbs you use.
When it comes to lighting, issues like energy waste and environmental impact can be major concerns. That's why it's important to be well-informed and know the differences between incandescent and LED lighting so that you can more easily choose the right option for your home.
How Incandescent and LED Light Bulbs Work
Incandescent and LED light bulbs both use electricity to produce light in different ways. Incandescent bulbs have a tungsten filament that emits light. When you turn the light on, electricity flows through the filament and causes it to quickly heat up, start glowing, and give off a bright light.
LEDs use a chip made out of some type of semiconductor material to produce light. The process is a bit complicated: Electricity flows through the chip and causes the free electrons in one of its layers to move and flow through holes in the second layer of the chip. As the electrons fall, they recombine and release energy in the form of photons or visible light.
The other difference between the two types is that incandescent bulbs run off the alternating current (AC) power that flows out of the wiring into the light bulb. LEDs instead convert the AC into direct current (DC) power before sending it into the semiconductor chip.
Comparison of Incandescent and LED Bulbs
We'll now compare how the two types of bulbs stack up against each other in different areas to help you decide which one will work better for certain needs and situations.
Brightness
Lumens are the standard unit of measurement that expresses how much light a bulb produces. If you were to compare an incandescent and an LED bulb that are both rated at 800 lumens, they would produce the same amount of light. However, LEDs produce around 7 times more lumens per watt than incandescent bulbs, which means you can find LED options that are far brighter than even the best incandescent bulbs.
Lifespan
One of the main issues with incandescent lights is that the filament gets so hot that it eventually burns out. Any surge in electricity can also cause the filament to instantly burn out or even make the bulb burst. In most cases, an incandescent bulb will last for 1,000 to 2,000 hours before burning out. LEDs typically have a lifespan of anywhere from 25,000 to 50,000 hours and can potentially last for at least 100,000 hours or 10 years.
Efficiency
Only around 5% of the electricity an incandescent bulb uses is released as light. The rest just produces heat. That's why the ratio of the lumens of light they produce to the watts of electricity they consume is so much lower. In most cases, you can expect an LED bulb to use 70%-90% less electricity than an incandescent bulb that produces the same number of lumens.
Cost
Up-front cost is the one area where incandescent bulbs are the clear winner. Although the price of LEDs has come down quite a bit in recent years, they still typically cost at least twice to four times as much. For higher-end brands and models, you could easily pay $20+ per LED bulb. However, LEDs are still more cost-effective overall due to how much more efficient they are and how much longer they last.
Safety
Incandescent bulbs can be a fire hazard due to how much heat they produce, and this is especially the case with higher-wattage bulbs. LEDs are far safer, as almost all of the electricity they use is converted into light with very little of it being converted into heat. LEDs produce so little heat that they stay cool enough that you could touch the bulb without getting burned even if it had been on for hours.
Color Variety
The color of light is determined by where the wavelength of the light a bulb produces falls on the light spectrum. Unless the glass bulb is colored, incandescent lights always produce a fairly soft yellow light. LEDs can produce light in different wavelengths depending on the type of semiconductor material they have.
Some LEDs produce yellow light similar to that of incandescent bulbs, but you can also find bulbs that produce a softer white light or a bright blue light. With LEDs, you have a far greater range of possibilities, allowing you to choose the perfect lighting for every situation. Bright white LEDs are great for areas like kitchens and bathrooms, while bulbs that produce more of a yellow color are great for bedrooms, dining rooms and reading lamps. Bright blue LEDs are perfect for security lighting outside houses.
Design Flexibility
Thomas Edison patented the first incandescent light bulb way back in 1879, and the technology hasn't advanced much since then. With incandescent lighting, you're still limited to a few basic types and shapes like globe bulbs, candelabra and can lights. LEDs come in these styles as well, but you also have additional options such as LED string lights and even solar LEDs. There are also some smart LED bulbs that allow you to change the color of the light or adjust the brightness using a mobile app.
Overall Performance
Incandescent bulbs perform better in one way, as they get fully bright almost immediately. With LEDs, there is a slight delay before the light gets fully bright due to them first needing to convert the AC power into DC. On the other hand, LEDs work far better in colder temperatures. Incandescent lights tend to flicker and not get as bright in cold temperatures because the filament doesn't get as hot.
How to Tell Incandescent and LED Light Bulbs Apart
There are some fairly easy ways that you can quickly tell the two types of light bulbs apart. When shopping for bulbs, LEDs will always be clearly labeled. Another way you can tell the two apart is that the packaging on LEDs will always list what color of light they produce and how many lumens they are. On the packaging for incandescent bulbs, all you'll see is the wattage.
Incandescent bulbs are typically clear so that you can directly see the metal filament inside. Even if the glass is frosted, you'll still be able to clearly see the filament heat up when you turn the light on.
The glass also connects directly to the base, whereas LEDs have a section in between the glass and the base that houses the diode. You can also tell the difference between the two by putting your hand near the bulb when it's on to see if you can feel heat radiating off of it.
At the end of the day, LEDs are the superior choice due to factors like their superior efficiency, higher efficiency and improved safety. While incandescent lighting still has certain uses, you'll almost always be better off using LEDs throughout your home whenever possible.
For all of your lighting installation and lighting repair needs, you can trust the experts at Mr. Handyman. We serve residential and commercial customers and can help you make sure that your lighting perfectly meets your needs.
Contact us to learn more or explore our LED lighting upgrades.
FAQs
How Much Can I Save With LEDs?
By switching to all LED lighting, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average household will lower its electricity bills by around $225 per year. When you add up these savings over time, it's easy to see why it's well worth investing in LEDs for your home.
Why Choose LED Lighting Over Incandescent?
The main reasons experts recommend choosing LED lighting over incandescent are that LED bulbs last far longer, use far less energy and are safer. You also have many more options in terms of color and design with LEDs.
