Cost – $12.00 per bulb
Savings – $7/year/bulb. Average home can save $210 per year.[1] Plus, the bulbs last over 20 years.
Installation time – 1 minute
Materials/Tools Needed – LED bulb
Maintenance – None
The light emitting diode (LED) is a type of solid-state lighting -- semiconductors that convert electricity into light. LEDs are one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing technologies. ENERGY STAR-qualified LEDs use only 20%–25% of the energy and last up to 25 times longer than the traditional incandescent bulbs they replace.
LED bulbs are currently available in many products such as replacements for 40W, 60W, and 75W traditional incandescents, reflector bulbs often used in recessed fixtures, and small track lights. They are especially useful in fixtures that are hard to access such as those in ceiling fixtures. While LEDs are more expensive at this early stage, they still save money because they last so long and have very low energy use. A 60 watt replacement typically uses 10 watts. As with other electronics, performance is constantly improving while prices are dropping.
Tips
á Read the specifications on the bulb package, especially the lumens (light output) and Color Rendering Index (CRI or light color). LEDs can produce any color light very precisely, so they are great for mood lighting.
á Dimmable LEDs are available, but you may have to replace the dimmer wall switch if it was designed to handle the higher electricity use of incandescent bulbs.
á Since LED's contain no mercury, they can be disposed of in normal household trash.
[1] http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/frequently-asked-questions-lighting-choices-save-you-money#difference