7 benefits of outdoor LED lighting
By this time, the superiority of LED-based lights has been proven many times over. LED floodlights can even beat halogens. Despite that, many people still cling to obsolete lighting solutions such as incandescent bulbs or CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps). To prove the above statements, let's take a closer look at some of the main advantages of LEDs for outdoor areas.
1. They last way longer
An average lifespan of a LED bulb is about 25 000 hours. That's about 3 times more than a CFL and about 17 times more than a traditional incandescent bulb. However, you must keep in mind that most tests are run in 3 h/day scenarios.
Nevertheless, longer lifespan equals lower maintenance costs - despite higher buying price, LEDs will cost you far less in running costs, as they won't have to be replaced frequently.
2. Almost all intake energy becomes light
LED lights are also the best when it comes to energy efficiency - they can convert about 90% of consumed electricity into pure light. That's a giant leap from incandescents, which effectively use only 10-15%, wasting all the rest as useless heat. CFLs can save about 75% more energy, but still waste about 80% of it as heat.
Due to far lower heat generation, LED lights stay cool to the touch even after staying on for long periods of time. This means they are safe to be around small children, as there's no risk of getting burned or the bulb popping due to excessive heating.
3. They don't break easily
LED bulbs are made of sturdy materials (mostly plastic and aluminium) - there's no glass or delicate filaments. This makes them way harder to break - even if you manage to damage the plastic dome, the diodes will still be able to shine.
4. Wide variety of quality products
LED lights come in great variety - you can find anything from strip lights, strings and festoons, or orbs, to outdoor LED flood lights and big, creatively designed fixtures.
This wide range of products allows us to pick something for practically any use. Security, ambience, mood, safety - all these and more lighting projects can be done using only LEDs.
5. No environment hazards
Despite some concerns in the past, modern LED products contain no harmful materials such as mercury and heavy metals. Moreover, they are highly recyclable - about 95% of their materials can be used again. This means they can be disposed of just like any other electrical equipment and don't have to go through specialized utilization processes like neon lights do.
6. They produce high-quality light
LED-based light sources (including LED floodlights and spotlights) generate precise and bright illumination that allows one to admire all the details. This means they work great as task lighting - the light doesn't produce excess brightness and has low contrast.
That's not all - LEDs also have a very high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) rating. What does it mean in practice? Their illumination closely resembles natural daylight, enabling us to perceive original colours of objects placed under it. For example, a lush red apple will still look the same when we bring it indoors and place it under a LED lamp.
7. You can adjust them to your heart's content
Definitely the best part of LEDs is their customizability - with the wide range of accessories (e.g., PIR motion sensor and smart home hub), we can create fully autonomous, low-maintenance lighting systems for both outdoor and indoor.
Most currently available LEDs are also dimmable and come in RGB options, which allows us to change the colour and intensity of their light to match our current mood. Just remember to get dedicated dimmer switches and RGB controllers.
LEDs - best option for your home and garden
If you want to illuminate your garden or home, LEDs would be the best choice. They work ideal for any lighting installation, both indoor and outdoor. With a bit of digging, you can find practically anything you'd ever need for illuminating your living space.
