LED Lighting Myths. It’s no secret that there are costs associated with making the switch to LED lighting, which means you could be on the fence about upgrading the lighting in your facility. It doesn’t help that there are plenty of myths associated with LED lights that may stand in the way of helping save money and energy by investing in new lighting.
Let’s take a look at some common misconceptions, and expose the real truth.
Myth: You Can’t Dim LED Lights
This is one we hear often. Unlike many traditional incandescent lights, not all LED lights are dimmable and not all can be used in dimmable fixtures. It’s important to work with a reputable distributor if you’re looking for dimmable LED lights to ensure you’re choosing the right bulbs. It can be dangerous to use a non-dimmable LED bulb in a fixture that allows dimming and could lead to costly repairs or fixture replacements.
Myth: LEDs Need to Warm Up
Traditional lighting needs some time after turning on to reach full brightness, but LED lights are ready to go almost immediately after turning on. Because of this, LED bulbs are perfect for applications where you need to turn lights on and off repeatedly (think: event venues that have light displays for concerts). With traditional lighting, that on-and-off repetition can shorten the lifespan of bulbs.
Myth: There’s Only One Color of LED: Bright White
Although there are plenty of LED lighting options that offer bright white light, you can choose from a variety of colors and warmth settings that will fit your facility best. Pay close attention to Kelvin temperatures:
2700K to 3500K — warm white light: A calming and relaxing light that is great for bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms or restaurants.
3500K to 4500K — natural white light: Cool and clean, this LED color most closely mimics sunlight, which makes it good for use in almost any location.
5000K-6000K — daylight white light: A crisp and clear white light that is great for garages, security lights, offices, or retail locations.
6000K and 7000K — cool white light: Good for commercial and industrial applications or any situation in which you want to foster alertness.
Myth: LED Lights Changes How Colors Appear
This comes into play with applications that need lighting to accurately reflect color palettes — like art galleries, home decor stores, or anywhere that photographs are being taken. Look to the color rendering index in the specifications when choosing new LED lighting; the CRI is a range from 1-100 and the higher the number, the more accurate the color rendering.
Myth: LEDs Get Hot Too
Yes, LED lighting gives off warmth but not nearly as much as traditional lighting, and in a much different way. Because they’re much more efficient, LED lights only reach a temperature of about 140-212 Fahrenheit. Incandescent lights can reach temperatures of up to 357 Fahrenheit. This not only keeps the ambient temperature of your facility down, but it can also save you money when it comes to energy costs.
Myth: Cost-Savings of LED Isn’t Worth the Investment
If you’re already making moves to help your facility become greener and more energy-efficient, doesn’t it just make sense to support this initiative with LED lighting? Think about how much of your monthly budget goes towards paying lighting costs — simply replacing 100 traditional fixtures in your building with LED options could save you $5700 in your first year of use.
Myth: Traditional Lighting is Just Plain Cheaper than LED
In a bulb-to-bulb comparison of price alone, that’s true, but consider that one LED bulb has the lifespan of a 6-pack of incandescent bulbs. Try this math: The average kilowatt-per-hour cost is about 13 cents, so if you run a traditional 60-watt fixture for 12 hours a day for a year it would cost $34.07. Run a 9-watt LED fixture for the same amount of time and your bill would be only $5.11 — that’s a savings of nearly $29 every year which will easily pay for your upfront investment several times over.
Myth: All LED Lighting is Created Equal
This is not an area where you should cut corners or sacrifice quality to save on costs. It’s important to work closely with LED lighting professionals that will first perform an audit and then offer customized suggestions on the options that are perfect for your facility. Get in touch with our team of lighting pros; not only can we help optimize your upgrade, but we also know about valuable rebates that will save you even more money by making the switch.