Things you need to consider before buying LEDs?

How are LEDs different from other forms of lighting?

When people who do not have a great deal of knowledge about LEDs seek to purchase them, a degree of confusion is normal. This is because LEDs are very different from incandescent lighting and CFLs. LEDs differ in terms of lifespan, heat dissipation, directionality, and efficiency among other factors.

Never look at watts and always look at lumens

Conventional wisdom has taught us to look at watts as the measure of brightness of a bulb. However, for LEDs, we need to look at the lumen output. Lumen is actually the unit that is used to measure the brightness of light, while watt measures energy output. An LED bulb and an incandescent bulb of 60W each will have vastly different lumen outputs, and if you happen to replace an incandescent with an LED of similar watt level, you are going to end up with a much brighter product than desired.

Selecting the right color is crucial

LEDs display a wide range of colors while incandescents are normally limited to yellowish and white hues. Chances are you are going to want something similar in color to incandescents. If you want a yellowish hue, selecting soft white or warm white is appropriate. For those who require a whitish hue, bright white is the way forward. Before purchasing an LED, check out the color temperature of the LED. Bulbs between 2700-3500K are going to create the same color of light as normal incandescents.

Don't cheap out

High quality LEDs are going to be much costlier than incandescents. Don't fall into the trap of buying cheap LEDs as there are several of those in the market. The quality of an LED is dependent on its chip and high quality chips are pricey in the current market. Consider LEDs to be an investment. Quality LEDs will pay for themselves over time through energy efficiency and longevity.

An investment in LEDs is an investment in the environment due to their eco-friendly nature in comparison to incandescents and CFLs. Be meticulous when buying an LED and you will reap its benefits over time.