Some consumers are skeptical. When compact fluorescent light bulbs were introduced, their makers claimed they would last for years, but some of them failed in less than a year.
Today’s CFLs are higher in quality, but they’re not in the same class as light-emitting diodes. LED bulbs are rated to last 25,000 hours, or at least 22 years based on three hours’ use a day. They use about 80 percent less energy than incandescent.
The Department of Energy (DOE) says rapid adoption of LED bulbs could reduce demand for electricity for lighting use in the United States by one-third by 2027. That level would eliminate the need for 40 new power plants.
Presently, the cost of LED ranges from about $15 to $40 per bulb, depending on the type and power. Costs are less than they were two years ago and they will continue to fall with improved technology and higher production levels, according to Strategies Unlimited, a market-research company in Mountain View, Calif. Depending on the type, they can give soft warm lighting like an incandescent does or give a bright white light.
To begin with LEDs, use them in hard-to-reach places or heavily used areas such as the kitchen, family room or porch. LEDs may seem brighter than the incandescent they’re designed to replace. Instead of a 60-watt-equivalent bulb, try a less-costly 40-watt equivalent.
When selecting a bulb, look for the Energy Star endorsement. And look for manufacturers and retailers that participate in the DOE’s LED Lighting Facts program. The bubs should carry a warranty of three to five years, but in reality they last far longer than that.
LEDs are resistant to vibration and breakage, and they come in a variety of specialty styles and shapes.