Compact Fluorescent Lamps vs LEDs

Posted under General by Alex

So, you’ve decided to go green with lighting. An admirable decision, but how to proceed? With home lighting, you have two alternatives to incandescent lights - compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Both have their own advantages and drawbacks, but both are also much more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent lighting.

CFLs

You’re probably familiar with fluorescent lighting already - They’re those long, bright bulbs typically found in office buildings. What you may not know is that fluorescent lighting is also widely available for home use, in the form of CFLs. CFLs typically are spiral shaped and fit in standard lighting fixtures. They emit light comparable to standard incandescent lighting, and are rapidly becoming popular among the green crowd. Let’s take a look at some advantages and disadvantages of compact fluorescent lighting:

Advantages

• Long life - Modern CFLs typically have a lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually manufactured to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.
• Energy efficient - CFLs generally use around one fifth of the energy of standard incandescent lights.
• Affordable - A six-pack of CFLs generally costs between $10-$20.  Watch for sales to get them even cheaper.

Disadvantages

• Mercury - CFLs contain trace amount of mercury.  Be careful not to break them.
• Still pricey - CFLs are more expensive than standard lighting, although some would argue that the convenience of going years without them makes up for this fact.

LEDs

Light emitting diode (LED)  lamps are relatively new in the world of lighting.  Just like CFLs, LED lighting is vastly more energy efficient than standard lighting, with a long life span to boot.  Let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages

• Life span - LED lamps can burn for a whopping eleven years, or 50 times the life span of a traditional incandescent bulb.
• Energy efficient - LED lamps use 1/10 the electricity as their incandescent cousins, and put out just as much light.
• No toxins - LED bulbs do not contain mercury, like CFLs

Disadvantages

• Initial Cost - LED bulbs are very expensive.  A single bulb can cost between $50 and $100.  This cost is typically paid back in the savings on your electric bill, but the initial sticker shock can be startling.
• Field of light - Some LED bulbs project a very narrow field of light, making them impractical for area lighting.  Make sure to research your bulb type before buying.

Environmentally friendly

Either way, both types of bulbs are better for the environment than standard incandescent lighting.  Do your research, and do your part to help.