What Does LED Stand For?

Depending on the type of light fixtures you have in your home, you may only be moderately aware of the types of lightbulbs you’re using. Though many homeowners simply buy the cheapest option at the store to power their lamps and other light fixtures, there is actually a wide variety of types of lightbulbs available designed to fulfill different purposes and functions.

For many low-powered electrical appliances, the cheapest light bulb option on the shelf may work just fine. However, for more powerful or advanced light fixtures, you may need a different type of light bulb. Plus, if energy efficiency is an important trait for you to have in your home appliances, the cheapest lightbulb is often not the most efficient, causing your electric bills to rise unnecessarily.

If you’ve recently purchased new light bulbs in Littleton, CO, you may have come across a product known as LED light bulbs. Curious about what these special bulbs are and what makes them different? Let’s explore why many homeowners opt for LED lighting these days as an effective alternative to standard bulbs such as CFL and incandescent lights.

What Is an LED Light?

The letters “LED” stand for light-emitting diodes. The original LEDs, which were infrared lights, were once called radiant semiconductor diodes. These bulbs allow an electric current to pass through specialized semiconductor material, creating electroluminescence, also known as the light emissions that illuminate our homes.

Since the invention of LED lighting, electricity researchers and scientists have tested the addition of multiple elements to the bulb’s semiconductor material to allow the bulbs to emit lights of different colors. For example, certain elements added to the semiconductors can create yellow and red hues or make light emissions brighter and more powerful.

While the original LED light bulbs could only create a light of one frequency or color, the advancements made over time have allowed consumers access to LED lighting that varies in color and frequency based on preference and needs.

In fact, some of today’s most advanced LED lighting can access a vast spectrum of white light alone, which varies from warm sunlight hues to cold, incandescent white lighting.

LED light bulbs were created and specially designed to be a more energy-efficient alternative to the standard lightbulb.

The standard light bulb produces incandescent light. That kind of light bulb works or “turns on” when an electric current heats its wire filament to a whopping 5000 °F.

LED bulbs using just ten watts can generate the same light as an incandescent fixture using 60 watts. Plus, LED lighting boasts an exceptionally long lifespan of three years or more, and that’s if they’re left on 24/7 with no occurrence of atypical gas buildup.

The Nationwide Impact of LED Lighting

It’s clear LED lighting was introduced to provide a new and improved alternative to the standard lightbulb for consumers, but the actual impact of LED light bulbs on the market is staggering. Assuming LED light bulb sales continue along with current trends, this lighting option is expected to make up 75% of total lighting sales in the U.S. by the year 2030.

Along with their influence on the national electric lighting market, LED lights are likely to reduce total energy consumption caused by lighting by around 50% and lead to a nationwide savings of $250 billion in energy costs over the next few decades. Plus, carbon emissions due to electricity are expected to reduce by a whopping 1,800 tons due to consumers making the switch to LED lighting, as long as current trends continue.

As you can see, the popularity of LED lighting among homeowners and consumers of all kinds has made a significant difference in national sales trends as well as our collective carbon footprint. Let’s explore some specific reasons LED lights have captured the nation’s attention as a home lighting option.

Why Do Homeowners Prefer LED Lighting?

Though LED light bulbs often retail for slightly more than the standard bulb, the benefits are numerous and significant for residents of Littleton, CO.

Since the bulb is designed to be an energy-saving alternative to incandescent light, many homeowners opt for LED bulbs simply to lower their monthly energy bills. LED lights utilize 75% less electrical energy than the typical incandescent bulb.

LED light bulbs are also built to last longer than the standard bulb (around 25 times longer, in fact). That means fewer trips to the store to purchase replacement bulbs for light fixtures, and therefore less money spent on lighting your home throughout the year.

Littleton, CO, locals also enjoy the wide variety of lighting colors and frequencies LED bulbs can create. Today, the typical home goods store features LED bulbs and fixtures that can access a massive range of colors, giving homeowners the option for colored lighting in their space.

LED lighting can transform your Denver home for the better and save you money and time in the long run. Before you spend hours googling “electrician near me” next time you need electrical repair, trust the Denver electrician specialists at MZ Electric.