What is an LED Light Bulb?

You can’t open a magazine, search the Internet, or go into a store without seeing and hearing about LED light bulbs. You may never have given them a second thought before, but these little marvels are everywhere and are used to illuminate many things around you. But why should you care about a little bulb? Because each LED light bulb is helping save the environment.

LED stands for light-emitting diode. These little clusters of bulbs are made with a new technology that allows them to last over 50,000 hours, and they are ultra energy-efficient. You’ll find LED lights now in Christmas lights and rope lighting as well as in household appliances and gaming systems. They are becoming more and more common and energy usage goes down wherever they are used.

LED lights are gaining popularity because they don’t emit their light from a gas or with a filament. They don’t break and are very stable. Another benefit of the LED light is that it stays cool to the touch. Unlike bulbs of old that scald the eyes when looked at and hands when touched, these little units keep a cool head. This coolness translates into energy efficiency.

A typical incandescent bulb may last 1,000 hours before it burns out. A fluorescent bulb may last 10,000 hours. But the magic of the LED light is that it lasts at a minimum 50,000 hours. They have even been shown to last up to 100,000 hours. For a toy that has LED lights, that means the child will tire of the toy long before the light ever has a chance to burn out.

You also don’t have to baby an LED light or worry about something happening to it. They can withstand the heat and the cold and basically anything reasonable that might happen to it. That means you can use them outdoors in rope lighting where other lights just wouldn’t be able to go. And because they’re not fragile like glass bulbs, it’s ok if someone accidentally steps on it.

The European Union has now banned the use of 100 watt incandescent bulbs. Other areas may soon follow. It makes sense to use LED bulbs. The light they emit is pure, resemble day light, and they are readily available. They can replace halogen bulbs too and work with dimmer switches as well. LED truly is the wave of the future.

Since LED bulbs don’t require frequent changing, they can be used in places where it would be inconvenient to constantly access them. And for holiday decorations, where at one time if one bulb went out, the whole strand went dead, LED lights are a must. The National Christmas tree in Washington, DC is strung with LED lights now. Where in olden days a man on a ladder went up every time a bulb went out and changed it, the LED bulbs don’t burn out and don’t have to be replaced with that kind of frequency.

LED lights also make good economic sense. They will lower your electricity bill and light your way longer than any other type of bulb.

Here are some of the most popular LED bulbs consumers should know about:

• The Sun Dusk LED Accent Bulb: These are perfect for areas where you need a softer light such as on a bedside table. They are perfect for evening reading because they are easy on the eyes while still emitting enough light to read by.
• Vivid Plus LED Bulb: This type of bulb gives a high output and is good for small rooms or for an outdoor porch lamp.
• Vivid LED Bulb: These are accent light bulbs. They are best for accenting under counters and other covered areas that need a little burst of light. They are also perfect for use with dimmer switches.
• LED Fluorescent Bulbs: You can switch out any current fluorescent bulb you have now with an LED fluorescent. They have the same housings, so they fit exactly without having to adapt your light fixture in any way.
• RGB Color Changing LED Light Bulbs: These nifty LEDs can be used with a remote programmable switch box. They can be used inside or out and will change colors. You can also opt to stay on one color as long as you like.  They come in strips that you can pause, flash or strobe for effect. These are a popular pick for clubs and bars as well as for mall settings.

LED lights are widely available. They have the same bases as your traditional bulbs but are so much more efficient. Ask at a hardware store if you’re not sure which bulb is right for your usage needs. You will pay a little more than for a glass bulb, but you’ll have it in working condition a lot longer and less changes mean more money in your pocket in the long run.