What's the difference between traditional lighting and LED lighting?
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.
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Switching to LED lighting is a good move
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.
It becomes easier to fill the room with light
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.
You change bulbs less often
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.
You easily reduce energy 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 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!
Our ideas on how to save money thanks to LED lights
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.
Carefully plan the arrangement of lamps
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.
Split the apartment into zones
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.
Employ tactical task lighting
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.
Choose the right light fittings
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.
Don't forget to turn off the light when you don't use it!
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!
Take advantage of LED strip lights
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.
Summary
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!
In recent years, many business owners have found that LED retrofits save them time, resources and money. LED stands for light-emitting diode, and while their initial price is slightly more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they save businesses money in the long run in two major ways:
- They have low energy use, so your energy bill will be lower.
- They last much longer, so you&#;ll buy less over time and spend less on maintenance.
This blog takes a closer look at both of these points, as well as several other benefits of choosing LED lighting for businesses.
Energy Saving LED Lighting for Businesses
The cost of electricity naturally depends on the size of a commercial building; however, most businesses report that the largest source of energy consumption comes from heating, cooling, and lighting. These three services are often more than half a business&#; electric bill.
According to energy.org, LEDs can use up to 90% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs.
Switching from incandescent to LEDs can potentially cut your energy bill by a quarter or even half. But there are even more savings to consider. The low energy consumption paired with the low heat production and resistance to shock and vibration means that LED lights are less of a fire risk than other lighting options, which can lower your insurance costs.
On top of the savings on your business&#; energy bill, installing LED lighting can help you earn rebates through Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program. Learn more about Focus on Energy rebates here.
What Types of Businesses Have The Highest Electric Bills?
Electric Choice, an energy management company, reports that retail and service buildings use the most energy compared to other commercial buildings. Other businesses listed in descending order include office buildings, education buildings, healthcare buildings, then lodging, such as hotels.
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If you find your type of business on this list, consider your indoor and outdoor lighting and determine if there are any opportunities to save money with LEDs. Consider the following options:
- LED Signage
- LED Street Lights
- Parking Garage LED Lighting
- LED Walkway Lighting
- LED Display Case Lighting
- Wall Mounted LED Lighting
- Outdoor LED Flood Lights
- LED Warehouse Lighting
- LED Recessed Lighting
Long Lasting LED Retrofits
According to that same article from energy.org, LED lights last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Typically, the standard LED light can last up to 50,000 hours, which is conservatively estimated to equal 11 years of nighttime use. For business owners, this means lower maintenance costs on top of buying fewer light bulbs.
In the case of outdoor LED sign lighting, your business will be saving money because you will no longer be required to hire a specialist to change out lighting on roofing, free standing signs, or other digital signage. What&#;s more, you can even save money by simply retrofitting your existing signs with LEDs rather than buying completely new signage.
Case Study: Upgraded Exterior Lighting Helps Ernst & Young Get Noticed
By changing out the old lighting source from neon to LED, the letters of the Ernst & Young illuminated sign were brightened and now more visible to passing traffic. Additionally, the cost of updating the sign was minimal, considering the cost of replacing it entirely. Maintenance costs were reduced to zero dollars and Ernst & Young will see a return on their investment in less than 4 years.
What to be inspired by other LED lighting projects? Check out the ones below!
- Windrush Subdivision Signage (Outdoor LED Signage) - An award-winning sign design commissioned for a newly developed subdivision in Hartland, Wisconsin.
- Wacker Neuson (Indoor Lighting) &#; Lemberg&#;s electrical service team completed a retrofit project to upgrade production line lighting with new LED lighting, providing employees with a brighter and safer workspace.
- Milwaukee Admirals Locker Room (Indoor LED Signage) - When the Milwaukee Admirals remodeled its locker room, they hired Lemberg to help them create a fun atmosphere filled with team pride.
Want to learn more about custom design options for illuminated signage and LED applications? Download our Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Maintaining a Business Sign.
LED Lights Do More Than Save Money
LED lighting is extremely popular because of the ability to save money on energy, maintenance, insurance, and rebates, but they are also popular because they look great!
Outdoor LED Sign Lighting Produces A Crisp Image
One of the most common uses for LED lights in outdoor signage is in digital display boards. These boards use LED lights to display text, images and even video clearly.
LED display boards come in a wide variety of resolutions and designs so that you can clearly deliver your message to people at various distances. When choosing digital LED signage, you will want to consider the following:
- Interaction
- Resolution
- Location and zoning
- Size and shape
- Content type
- Budget
- Existing signage
You can take a closer look at each of these considerations in our article, How to Choose and Use Digital LED (EMC) Signage.
Interested in getting new business signage, but would like to know more of what to expect from the process? This helpful downloadable guide walks you through the steps of design, manufacturing, and installation of new business signage.
LED Lights Come In Many Options
The exterior and signage LED lighting market has grown to include an array of choices. An abundance of possibilities offers business owners precise solutions for their LED needs.
Business signs and logos come in all shapes and sizes. LED lighting can offer a strong visual enhancement to meet the unique marketing needs of your business. An often overlooked component of LED lighting is color temperature.
Lighting temperature is measured in Kelvins (K) and specifies how warm or cool the color of the LED light appears. Color temperature can be subjective, but in a signage application, it can play a significant role in the mood of your brand.
As the image below shows, the color temperature of an LED light can change to match your preferences and help your business create the right atmosphere.
LEDs Perform Better Than Other Lighting in Extremely Cold Temperatures
Wisconsin can get pretty cold, and one of the last things you want as a business owner is for your outdoor signage and lighting to dim or go out completely.
In the winter months, when it gets dark earlier and stays dark longer, a blown-out sign can spell disaster for the visibility of your business. Worse, unlit parking lots or walkways can result in accidents and unsafe environments for your visitors and employees alike.
LEDs are not affected by cold weather. In fact, according to the Lighting Research Centre, cooler environments actually increase an LED&#;s output. That means bright, beautiful lights and safe conditions for all.
The Electrical Service and LED Signage Experts at Lemberg Are Here to Help
Depending on the number of lights in your facility and on your property, the transition from incandescent light bulbs to LED may seem like a large undertaking at first, but our Electrical Service and Signs Teams pride themselves on providing an excellent experience for customers. Our professional project managers take care to keep you informed and your project on time.
Our design team will work with you to determine the best LED lighting application for your brand and budget. Request a quote today or contact us, and we&#;ll happily answer any questions you may have.
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