If it has been some time since you last upgraded the lighting in your Bracknell home, you may be surprised to learn that Halogen lightbulbs and fittings are no longer available.
Once the favoured choice, halogen lightbulbs have now been replaced with more efficient and environmentally friendly LED lighting. To help you understand why the change has been made, our experienced electricians at Thames Valley Electricians in Bracknell have put together this blog. So, let’s take a look at the benefits of LED vs Halogen Lighting.
The Difference between LED and Halogen Lighting
The first thing we should look at when considering LED vs halogen lighting is how the bulbs work. Halogen bulbs work in a similar way to traditional incandescent bulbs, they emit light through incandescence. Essentially, they generate light by heating a filament until it glows. This makes them quite inefficient as around 80 - 90% of the energy used is lost to heat. This also makes them more dangerous as this excess heat could, if not properly insulated against, cause a fire. LED lighting works by passing an electrical current through a microchip, which illuminates the tiny Light Emitting Diodes with the result being visible light. They are far more efficient with only a maximum of 20% of the energy used being lost to heat.
LED Lighting Benefits💡
Next, let’s take a look at the benefits of using LED lighting in your Bracknell home compared to halogen bulbs:
- Energy Efficiency – I think we can all agree that energy efficiency and lower energy costs are important to most households right now. With the cost of energy soaring, many Bracknell homeowners are looking at ways to cut their energy bills. Switching to LED lighting offers huge potential savings, with on average 80% less energy used to produce the same level of light.
- Long Lifespan - The average halogen bulb lasts for around 2000 hours. The equivalent LED lightbulb lasts for up to 50000 hours. That means you could leave your lights on for 12 hours day for more than 11 years before you would need to change a bulb. If you are an average use household then that figure becomes over 40 years!
- Safer to use – LED lights are far safer to use than Halogen bulbs. As they emit so little heat, the risk of fire is significantly lower. LED lightbulbs are also shatterproof and contain none of the harmful gases or chemicals present in halogen bulbs.
- Environmentally Sound – With lower energy use, longer lifespan and no harmful chemical involved in their production, LEDs are the most eco conscious choice you can make.
- Comfortable Lighting – LED lighting is much more comfortable to work under than traditional or halogen lighting. LED lighting produces no discernible flickering and is far more comfortable on the eye and will not induce a headache. LED lighting also produces a similar light to daylight giving a mood boost to those working under it. Lastly, LED lighting emits little to no UV radiation making them safe for those who suffer with UV sensitivity.
- Customisable Lighting – LED lighting is available in a wide range of colour and light temperature options. This means you can have cool lighting in the bathroom, daylight mimicking light in the office and warm, cosy lighting in the bedroom.
We hope this blog has helped to answer your questions about the benefits of LED vs halogen lighting. If you are searching for a reliable and experienced electrician in Bracknell to upgrade the lighting at your home, Thames Valley Electricians are here to help. Our fully qualified, NICEIC registered electricians will be happy to help you design an LED lighting installation that looks great and saves on your energy bills. Contact our friendly, knowledgeable team today.
