Does it seem to you that while your energy bills are increasing substantially every year, your friends are paying less to light up their homes than before?
As if they have an ace up their sleeves? As if they know something that you don’t?
Well, the next time you visit them, check out the bulbs they are using. You may well find that they’ve long switched to LED bulbs while you’re still stuck with incandescent bulbs.
And therein lies the rub.
An incandescent bulb gobbles down electricity faster than a hungry kid devours a birthday cake, causing your energy costs to soar up. On the other hand, LED bulbs use a fraction of electricity but produce the same amount of light.
Being careless with electricity is not the only bad thing about incandescent bulbs. They also have a few other disadvantages.
Disadvantages of Using Incandescent Bulbs
Financial costs
One of the main disadvantages of incandescent bulbs is that they cost a lot of money to use and maintain. They are considerably more expensive in terms of maintenance compared to other bulbs in the market, and with no quality, advantages to justify the extra payment.
An average home, which usually has around 20 to 30 bulbs, can spend hundreds of dollars annually just to keep the lights on. Making the transition to power-friendly bulbs — LED bulbs, that is — can be a very smart move.
Although they might cost more upfront, we can assure you that the return on investment will be worth it. When it comes to your house, certain investments and smart buys are completely logical in the long run.
As these energy-saving bulbs use a fraction of the power incandescent bulbs use, and last much longer, your household could well be saving nearly $150 annually. Obviously, actual savings will vary from house to house, but it is definitely worth the change.
Environment
As you’ve probably guessed from the previous tip, incandescent light bulbs require more energy to run, which is why they cost you more money than necessary.
Energy saving is a mutually beneficial situation for all — the less power you use, the more money you save and the more you help the environment.
The majority of electricity in this world is still produced by fossil fuels, which means the more energy you use, the more CO2 emissions is released. Little steps, like changing your light bulbs to energy efficient ones, have a big impact.
Reduce your carbon footprint. Switch over to LED light bulbs today.
Light quality options
Incandescent bulbs have much more limited choices when it comes to light colours and quality. Compared to newer bulbs like LED light bulbs, incandescent bulbs are ranked low on the colour temperature scale, which explains their orange tone.
Although incandescent bulbs are familiar — sometimes even pleasing — they’re not really the best choice when it comes to task lighting. Sometimes it is nice to specifically choose a colour best for a certain room.
Whilst warm, orange tones are great for homely, relaxing settings, they aren’t ideal for spaces that might need clearer, sharper light. For example, kitchens, office spaces and bathrooms very often work better with white, bright lights, making it easier to see exactly what you are cooking, working on or cleaning.
That being said, if you are actually looking for a warm orange light, maybe for a cozy vibe, then LED light bulbs can still be the one for you. LED light bulbs — unlike incandescent lights — offer many colour options.
Fragility
This is for those households with young children or pets. Incandescent light bulbs, believe it or not, are a lot more fragile than LED lights. Although this may not seem like that big of a deal, it does add an extra worry to them. One slight knock or a heavy hand and there could be a bit of a mess.
The reason they are a lot more fragile than LED lights is simply because the glass they use is a lot thinner. Although this does allow the light to shine through, it can be very dangerous. Furthermore, if the light bulb breaks whilst still in the fixture, it can be extremely difficult and unsafe to remove.
Heating dangers
You may have already noticed – incandescent light bulbs emit an extreme amount of heat. This causes rooms to heat up — extremely undesirable in warm weather — and makes it more likely that the bulb will burn out. If an incandescent bulb burns out you will need to wait a little while to replace it, as you can actually burn your fingers.
There’s also a possibility that an extreme change in temperature can cause the light bulb to burst – especially when the outside temperature is colder. For obvious reasons, this can be extremely hazardous. As well as obvious fire risks, these properties aren’t desirable in the slightest on a practical sense. Although LED lights may appear a little hot to touch, in comparison to incandescent light bulbs, they are a massive improvement.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the disadvantages of incandescent bulbs?
Incandescent bulbs not only cause more to run than LED light bulbs, but they also have a much shorter life span and limited colour options. Furthermore, they are more fragile, which could be a problem for households with young children and pets.
- Which is hotter — incandescent or halogen?
Research shows that halogens are twice as hot as incandescent bulbs.
- Are LED light bulbs safe?
The LED light bulbs — unlike incandescent or halogen bulbs — do not emit polluting radiation. For this reason, they don’t pose a health hazard to your family. Also, since LEDs operate at a much lower voltage than other bulbs, they are considered safer than other lighting systems.
- Are halogen brighter than LED?
No, they are not. LED headlamps, for instance, is up to 275% brighter than halogen lights.