LEDs are notable for being extremely long-lasting products. Many LEDs have a rated life of up to 50,000 hours. This is approximately 50 times longer than a typical incandescent, 20-25 times longer than a typical halogen, and 8-10 times longer than a typical CFL. Used 12 hours a day, a 50,000 bulb will last more than 11 years. Used 8 hours a day, it will last 17 years!

They can be used almost anywhere. LED replacements are already available for bulb types such as A-shape, PAR reflectors, MR reflectors, decorative, undercabinet, and more. When used on dimmers, particularly dimming systems that support many bulbs, you reduce the energy consumption. LEDs are available for indoor and outdoor use.

The advantages of switching to LED are numerous. Here are just some of the benefits:

• LEDs use much less electricity than other bulbs
• have extremely long rated lives
• produce very little heat
• do not emit UV or infrared
• contain no mercury
• are resistant to shock and vibration
• and can operate effectively in extremely cold environments

LED technology has advanced in the past few years, and the prices have dropped steeply as compared to 2-3 years ago.  In terms of whether LEDs are worth the extra cost, it’s helpful to look at the cost to operate your existing lights to the up-front cost and the maintenance. The energy savings realized in a switch to LED means that the extra up-front cost is often paid back rather quickly, and you’ll wind up saving money over the life of the light. If you’d like to see this in action, check out our Energy Savings Calculator.

Yes. LEDs are very similar to consumer electronics and quality really matters. In order for an LED to function properly and provide an acceptable light output, all of the components must be built to last. The main components of the lights are the LED chipsets and the drivers. The quality of these defines the performance and the life of the products.

Yes. LEDs deliver more brightness when compared to a similar watts bullb. Click here to see an example of the comparison.

LEDs are very green. For starters, they use much less electricity than many other lighting products. This means that less electricity has to be produced to operate them, and resulting in lower emissions from power plants, especially in areas where coal-fired plants are common. Unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury. Because of their long life, they also reduce solid waste: If you replace an incandescent bulb with an LED, you will prevent fifty 1,000 hour incandescent bulbs from being thrown away. Additionally, they produce very little heat and can reduce energy usage related to HVAC. The U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that increased adoption of LEDs over the next 15 years would also reduce electricity demands from lighting by 62 percent, prevent 258 million metric tons of carbon emissions, and eliminate the need for 133 new power plants.

Yes.