Everything LED

The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter and we’re spending more time inside. This also means we’re using our indoor lights more frequently. Whether it’s in the kitchen or home office, we use lighting just about everywhere. Did you know a few simple changes around the home with a focus on energy-efficient lighting could help you keep energy costs down and your home bright and cozy? Here’s how:

Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs

LEDs are super-efficient light bulbs; they create a lot of light but use very little energy. ENERGY STAR^® certified LEDs are up to 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and they last at least 15 times longer. No question, installing LED bulbs will help you save money on your energy bill and you can say goodbye to constantly buying replacement bulbs.

Watts and lumens

When you’re shopping for new light bulbs look for the lumens value instead of focusing on the number of watts. The lumens will tell you how bright a bulb will be; the higher the lumens value, the brighter the light. By contrast, a watt is a unit of power that measures the amount of energy a bulb needs to operate. So, to choose the most energy-efficient LED replacement bulb for your needs, find ones that have the lumens value you need to match the brightness of your old bulbs. ENERGY STAR certified LEDs deliver the same brightness (lumens) while using less energy (watts).

Fun fact: a 9-watt LED produces the same amount of light (800 lumens) as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

There’s an LED for that

There are ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs for every imaginable space and style inside and outside your home. Everything from a basic bulb for your table lamp, to unique shapes to fit pendant fixtures, or decorative ceiling fixtures and those best suited to motion-activated outdoor lights. Looking for vintage Edison bulbs? Outside patio strings? Do you want a dimmable “smart” bulb? There’s an LED for that!

You can also choose from different colours and qualities of light, from a soft, yellowish warm glow for those comfortable, cozy moments, to a crisper bluer light for activities like reading. Check the colour guide on the bulb’s package to find the perfect LED for each room in your home. Most residential LED bulbs fall somewhere in the range of 2000 to 6500 degrees K (Kelvin). Remember: the lower the K the warmer the light, the higher the K, the cooler.

Fun fact: Bulbs in the 5000 to 6500 Kelvin range will provide light that best mimics daylight, like when the sky is clear and the sun is overhead.

ENERGY STAR

Not all LEDs are created equally. Buying ENERGY STAR certified LEDs means you can be sure you’re saving the most energy possible while getting a product that has been tested to meet strict quality standards for light and colour. Certified LEDs also produce almost no heat and are resistant to vibration, which cuts cooling and replacement costs.

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