There are several factors to consider when we want to save money on lighting. The most important ones include the light source, the amount of used bulbs, the power of the single bulb, average usage of the chosen lighting per day, the cost of lighting, and the amount of bulbs that you burn out per year.
We would like to show you reasons why switching to LED lights is a good move. Traditional bulbs emit light in all directions, but the light is diffused and scattered. You will need a high power bulb to illuminate the chosen areas well. When it comes to LED lights, the light beam angle depends on the used diode.
For example, surface mounted SMD LEDs have a wide viewing angle. Let's compare classic halogen lamps with LEDs. One halogen will illuminate a greater area than one LED light. However, with the use of more LEDs, it is much easier for us to fill the room with light, taking into consideration that halogen's viewing angle is limited.
At first glance, you may think that LEDs are more expensive than traditional lights. Try to think about it differently. In the long term you will notice that buying LED lights is much more profitable. It's because LEDs are long-lasting and durable which means that once you buy them, you can enjoy them for the next few years. When it comes to traditional lights, they require replacing more frequently, which in practice means additional costs.
Using less energy seems to be an obvious way to save money. Illuminating your house and garden with LED lights will result in lower expenses. LED lighting uses 15 % of the energy that is used for standard LED bulbs. To be more precise, a traditional bulb uses 2400 Watts per day. An energy saving bulb (fluorescent lamp) uses 440 Watts per day. And, finally, a LED bulb uses 320 Watts per day. It is needless to add that LED bulbs are incomparably cheaper. They have so many benefits! Thanks to switching to LEDs, your lighting-related energy costs will decrease significantly!
There are many guides on how to save some money in the area of lighting. We have prepared a few tips for you and we hope you will be more willing to plan the arrangement of your lamps, split the apartment into zones and do a few more things that will help you keep the money in your wallet.
Placing the lamps in the room is crucial to have a functional and well-illuminated space. A ceiling lamp or a chandelier located in the middle of the room is uneconomical. That's because the ceiling lamp with a few high power sources and traditional bulbs use a lot of electricity.
Splitting the apartment into zones is a much better idea. Separate your relax zone, kitchen zone and bedroom zone. The thing is that you should get rid of the ceiling lamp which is placed in the central point of your room. Instead, you should focus on illuminating smaller areas and zones. In this case, more LEDs equals more saved money.
Illuminating a painting, staircase, bedside and different objects separately is not worse than main overhead ambient lighting. Thanks to that, you save energy and reduce your bills. You can use LEDs to illuminate small elements such as photo frames. An additional advantage of this solution is a pleasant atmosphere.
Another idea on how to save money by switching to LEDs is to use pendant lights. Resign from installing many halogen downlights because you would have to install many of them to obtain a satisfactory result. Installing many halogens will result in higher energy use and, consequently, higher running costs.
There are moments when you don't need to use lighting at all. Make the most of the sunlight that you get. After getting rid of traditional, energy-absorbing lighting, you will probably buy LEDs, which is good. However, remember that you don't have to use them when it's not necessary. Sunlight costs you nothing and is the best money saver!
LED strip lighting is a topic for a separate article. There are many advantages of LED strip lights! You can choose a LED strip light perfectly tailored to your needs and expectations. They have different IP ratings, numbers of LEDs per metre, types of LED chips, colour types, colour temperatures (warm white, neutral white, cool white), voltages and power supplies. Do they save your money? Absolutely yes!
LED light strips are really flexible, which makes them perfect lighting to illuminate shelves and cupboards. It's a beneficial solution, considering that you don't have to use the main lighting of the room to light up the things you want to see in the dark.
LED strips can be used both indoor (in kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms) and outdoor (in swimming pool areas, patios, gardens and driveways). What's more, you can easily control LED strips. In the case of a single colour LED strip, a controller is not necessary. Connecting it directly to a power supply would be enough. You would need a remote control or a smartphone app if you decide on colour changing LED strip lighting. How to save money? Do not use a dimmable power supply, which is more expensive than a regular power supply.
After reading this article you should be sure that using long-lasting, energy saving and durable LED lights is the investment that will definitely pay off. You are free to use them in a hallway, kitchen and bathroom. Don't forget about the areas outside your house. You won't have to change bulbs frequently. It's a matter of good planning, splitting the apartment into a few zones, employing tactical task lighting, choosing the right light fittings and simply not using any lights in daylight!
Buying lighting can be quite confusing to many people, especially if they are not used to it. There are several factors that need to be considered when buying LED lighting. For you to get the most out of your investment in the long run, you have to find the right type of lighting that can last long, which is environmentally friendly and will serve your intended purpose well. If you are looking to buy LED lighting or want to know more about this kind of lighting, here are some things you need to consider when buying LED lights.
Which Fitting?
When purchasing LEDs, there are many choices to make and questions to ask. The first and most obvious is deciding whether you want your lights to be directional (with a beam angle) or non-directional (without a beam angle). Non-directional products tend to look like traditional light bulbs; they’re good for illuminating wide areas such as tables and kitchens. Directional LEDs, on the other hand, tend to look like spotlights; they’re good for spotlighting specific objects or spaces. Some fixtures can be switched between directional and non-directional lighting; others must be purchased as one or another type. This choice will affect cost and brightness (non-directionals produce a brighter light than their directional counterparts).
Domestic or Commercial?
Most, if not all, LED lighting is domestic—it’s designed for home use and can be used indoors to light rooms and outdoors as area lights. However, other types of lights should not be confused with domestic or commercial (for example, high-bay lights designed for large spaces). If you’re planning on installing LEDs outside your house, it’s a good idea to ask your local hardware store for professional advice because proper positioning is crucial when it comes to outdoor lighting. Outdoor LEDs also tend to come in larger packs than indoor ones, so size may be an issue—this is where being able to speak with a salesperson about what you need will help you avoid buying too much or too little light.
Savings Potential
When it comes to saving money, LEDs are your best bet. They’re more energy-efficient than traditional lighting, which means you can enjoy big savings on your utility bills. Plus, some models feature daylight simulation technology that adjusts to mimic natural light changes throughout each day—that way, you won’t have to keep flipping your lights on and off all day long. If you find yourself turning on or off a light several times a day or more because it seems too bright or dim, LED is a good choice for you.
Beam Angle
As LED lighting technology has evolved, it’s become increasingly important to pay attention to beam angle when you’re purchasing bulbs. This refers to how far light extends from a bulb, measured in degrees. The most common beam angles are 60 and 90 degrees, with fewer choices available for narrow beams (30 or 45 degrees). Most commercial buildings use 90-degree bulbs because they illuminate wide areas well without making people feel exposed or uncomfortable. For residential settings where the mood is important, narrower beams might be preferable; LEDs with 30- and 45-degree angles also provide better visibility than fluorescent light.
Color Temperature
A common question asked when purchasing LED lighting is what color temperature should I get? That’s a good question. Technically, color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) and refers to how much blue or red there is in a light source. If you recall from earlier, white light can be created by mixing all different colors; thus, we end up with three primary colors: Red, Green, and Blue. Because we want to achieve that perfect white light in our fixtures, they must contain all three colors in their blend of colors (wavelengths). A typical warm-white bulb emits more red than blue, while a typical cool-white bulb emits more blue than red.