Guest Blogger: How to Choose the Perfect Home LED Lights

Guest Blogger #759, Entry #1779, November 2, 2012

From television remote controls to aircraft landing lights, the uses of light emitting diodes (LED’s) are numerous and diverse. From their introduction as a practical lighting source in the 1960’s, when only red LED’s were available for use as indicators, the spectrum of products, colours and functions has multiplied. Nowadays, LED’s are seen as an extremely energy efficient, long lasting and multi-functional alternative to the standard light bulb and are used equally in households and businesses where lighting is needed to add atmosphere and personality to a room or exterior.

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LED lighting in your interiors

The unique properties of LED’s have allowed for their application in a variety of products and spaces. For example, an LED remains cool to the touch and so may be preferred in kitchens or offices where people are exposed to a prolonged close proximity to lighting. This feature also means that many lights can be used in a small space to generate the desired lighting effect without creating a furnace in the process. Furthermore, the directional nature of LED’s makes them an ideal choice for headlights, flashlights and bicycle lights to name but a few practical uses. On the less practical side it is the wide range of colours which attract many interior designers to the LED, from the cool effect of the blues, greens and purples to the warming glow of reds, oranges and yellows. Lighting companies use LED’s in a range of products, from interior LED downlights, uplights and wall-mounted fittings, to exterior and underwater lighting, while coloured lighting strips are often used in modern bars and clubs.

Advantages of LED lighting

The advantages of LED’s include their energy efficiency (saving up to 90% of the energy used by standard bulbs), long lifespan (sometimes exceeding 60,000 hours), lack of heat emission, immediate illumination, small size and extensive colour options. However, there are several disadvantages to consider such as the high initial cost, the unidirectional nature of the light (though dimpled lenses are often used to counter this) and the light quality itself which can make objects appear different in colour. There have also been some issues raised by the eye safety hazard of blue LED’s which can be damaging over extended exposure.

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