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When it comes to compiling a list of compelling reasons to switch from your existing light sources to LED lighting, ten just aren’t enough, which is why there are eleven in this one!

1. LED Light Bulbs Last Much Longer

Without a filament to break or burn out, and with a far superior heat dissipation system involving a heat sink, an LED Light Bulb can have a life-expectancy that’s upwards of 50,000 hours, which is six times as long as a fluorescent bulb and more than twenty times longer than an incandescent.

In real terms, this means that, based on a usage of 8 hours per day, you shouldn’t need to replace an LED light bulb for at least 17 years!

2. They’re More Energy-Efficient

Incandescent light bulbs lose up to 80% of their energy as heat, leaving only the last 20% for light production. LED light bulbs are the complete opposite, losing less than 10% of their energy as heat. Thus, when compared to an incandescent of equivalent lumen-brightness, an LED bulb will use ten times less energy.

When you’ve switched to LED as your main source of illumination, you’ll begin to see a substantial reduction to your household power consumption and, as a result, your energy bills will start to tumble as well.

3. LEDs Are More Colourful

Unlike traditional bulbs, LEDs offer literally thousands of colour options without the need for bulky and inconvenient filters.

This makes them a much more viable option for events and venue lighting, as well as for traffic light signals.

4. LED Light Bulbs Are Completely Silent

One of the main issues that people report with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) is the incessant humming and buzzing sound they make. It’s caused by the ballast, or “transformer” in the lighting fixture.

Most residential fixtures use magnetic ballasts that operate at 60 hertz, creating the familiar, yet irritating sound. LEDs work in complete silence, making them more pleasant to be around and much less of a distraction.

5. LEDs Are Incredibly Safe

Following directly from the previous point, as LEDs convert less energy into heat, they remain relatively cool during operation. That means that no-one will burn their fingers by accidentally touching one and, of equal importance, there’s less chance of them causing a fire.

6. LEDs Are Better For Your Health

We’re all familiar with the notorious flickering of fluorescent bulbs. For those suffering from headaches and migraines, they can have terrible side-effects. The good news is that LED bulbs don’t flicker at all, and can help ease headaches, making them better health-wise.

LED lighting technology has developed to such an extent that it can now very effectively mimic natural light, being high on the CRI ( Colour Rendering Index) Research indicates that proper exposure to natural light promotes a healthy and regular circadian rhythm, and LEDs seem more than able to replicate this effect.

The increased ability to sleep has the knock-on effect of decreasing levels of stress and anxiety, when used for indoor environments. The quality of the LED 'white' light can be tailored to suit the human eye, eliminating the eye strain and premature aging, both symptomatic of fluorescent illumination.

7. LEDs Cause Less Light Pollution

Light Pollution can be virtually eliminated, because the light that’s emitted by LEDs is inherently directional, only focusing where it’s actually required via reflector or optical guidance.

Specific beam angles can thus be defined, which is a highly effective system, as very little LED light is wasted when compared to conventional light sources. In the old style light bulbs and tubes, light is typically omni-directional and inefficient, as much of the illumination that’s generated is dispersed away from the area in which it’s required.

8. LEDs Are Better For Dimming

Dimmable LED light bulbs retain their true colour when used in conjunction with a trailing edge dimmer switch, whereas the light from incandescent light bulbs turns a sickly shade of yellow when their intensity is reduced.

9. LEDs Are More Versatile

Due to their diminutive size and low energy consumption, a whole new world of lighting opportunities and potential is being opened up, including flexible LED strip lights which come in many different and exciting varieties.

10. LED Lights Illuminate Immediately

Unlike traditional energy-saving CFLs, LED light bulbs reach full brightness instantly, so there’ll be no more waiting around in the dark.

11. LEDs Are More Environmentally Friendly

Unlike the ‘energy-saving’ CFLs we’ve been using for years, LED light bulbs don't contain environmentally harmful Mercury vapour. Eco-friendly LEDs are also manufactured using 100% recyclable materials, so they won’t end their lives in landfill sites as traditional, non-recyclable bulbs invariably do.

When you add all of these great points up, you’ll agree that switching from your old, wasteful, short-lived, environmentally-harmful fluorescent and incandescent bulbs to LEDs makes perfect sense.

Should you have any questions about LED lighting, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer service team on 0116 321 4120 or send an e-mail enquiry to cs@wled.co.uk.