LED revolution will render all other light bulbs obsolete

  • James and Morris Carey Syndicated Columnists
  • Tuesday, November 20, 2012 9:55am
  • Life

How times change. Since the mid-’90s everyone and his brother has raved about the energy efficiency of the compact fluorescent light bulb.

When the CFL was introduced it was more energy efficient than any other type of lighting that had previously been used in the home. Where old-fashioned filament style incandescent bulbs were good for 1,200 hours of use, the public clamored to purchase CFLs that burned for 8,000 hours and more, using one-fifth of the energy.

As staunchly as we supported the change from conventional filament lighting to CFL use, we are now in the midst of an even better alternative. We feel that compact fluorescents will be fading away sooner than later.

The reason is simple. The next generation of artificial lighting is equally as cheap to operate, much, much brighter (and oh so much whiter) and longer lasting than CFLs. How about a life span of 25,000 hours for starters.

Where we never saw a key chain size CFL flashlight an LED keychain flashlight is now at every checkout counter.

The LED (light emitting diode) has finally made its way through lighting puberty (and the flashlight circuit) and is now stretching its “I’m the best and cheapest lighting for your home” muscles. Just about every manufacturer of lighting is now offering some sort of household LED alternative.

Big box and independent hardware stores alike offer an assortment of LED lighting.

Don’t be fooled by the first generation of solar powered LED path lights that barely offered enough light to be seen on anything but a pitch-black night. We’ve discovered that LED lighting for the home is literally amazing.

And we are so glad. No mercury, no special handling and, best of all, LEDs are recyclable.

Our latest whole house remodel partly involved replacing a ’70s style recessed fluorescent light box and other dated fixtures with new LED recess lights. The result was brighter rooms and halls (no more putrid colored light), even lighting and lighting that is truly white.

When the lighting is bright and the lighting is white the true colors used to decorate a room pop out and are more vivid and bold. Also, there is no time delay. LEDs are “instant on” bulbs.

LEDs have been used commonly since the early 1960s as indicator lights in electronics and have been growing as a light source ever since. At the Greenbuild 2012 green products tradeshow we spoke with several light fixture manufacturers who stated that LED technology had “come of age” and that LED had become “dependable enough to manufacture high end commercial lighting” for street lighting, parking lots, stadiums and just about any other conceivable use.

We strongly urge you to experiment with a good quality LED light somewhere in your home. The absence of heat, the evenly disbursed bright white light, the continued energy savings you have with fluorescents, the compactness, the instant start up, the unbelievable lasting quality and the absence of mercury make the LED the next “safer” generation of home lighting.

The incandescent was our VHS. The CFL was our laser disk and the LED is our DVD/Blue-ray.

LEDs are still a bit pricey, but if we each purchase one, “supply-demand” will kick in and the price will drop. Wonder what Ben Franklin would think?

For tips from James and Morris Carey, go to www.onthehouse.com or call the listener hot line, 800-737-2474, ext. 59. The Careys are also on KRKO (1380-AM) from 6 to 10 a.m. every Saturday.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.