LED bulbs are a cost-effective option that are great for use in both residential and commercial applications. LEDs provide directional light, which means that they emit light in a specific direction. With other types of bulbs, the light has to be reflected to the desired direction and more than half of the light may never leave the fixture. LEDs are great for many uses, including recessed downlights, which are commonly used in household kitchens, hallways and bathrooms. The longevity of LED bulbs make them an ideal candidate for hard-to-reach light fixtures that make changing bulbs a hassle.

The compact size of LEDs also makes them great for lighting desks and kitchen counters underneath cabinets to read paperwork or recipes better. Some LED bulbs can also be used with dimmer switches (always check the packaging to make sure the bulbs you purchase are designed for their intended use).

A light-emitting diode (or more commonly known as an LED) uses solid-state lighting (SSL), which emits light from a piece of solid matter. In comparison, traditional incandescent bulbs will emit light from a vacuum and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) emit light from a gas. LEDs do not come in a completely white color, but common LED colors include amber, red, green and blue. In order to create the white light that is used for lighting our offices and homes, different colored LEDs are mixed or covered with a yellow phosphor material that can be found on some LED bulbs.

Most people choose an incandescent light bulb based on its wattage or the amount of energy that the bulb consumes. The higher the wattage of the bulb, the brighter the bulb glows; however, a high wattage also means that the bulb will consume more energy. Unlike incandescent light bulbs, energy-efficient LED bulbs don’t sacrifice energy for brightness. Instead, the brightness of an LED bulb is determined by a bulb’s lumen count. If you need to use an LED bulb in an area that requires brighter light, then you should select a bulb with higher lumens. If you wanted to upgrade the traditional 60-watt incandescent light bulbs in your home you would need to purchase LED light bulbs with about 800 lumens. In order to replace a 100-watt incandescent light bulb you would choose an LED bulb that produces about 1600 lumens.

When choosing LED bulbs for your home, the color temperature of the light can set just the right ambiance. Today it is better to determine the color temperature by Kelvins, since terms such as “Soft White,” “Warm White” and “Bright White” can differ between manufacturers. If a light has a higher Kelvin measurement, then it will produce a cool or blue color, which produces a higher contrast making it preferable for visual tasks. Bulbs that measure 5,000K to 6,000K will mimic natural light, while bulbs that are between 3,500K and 4,100K will give off a cool, white light. If a light has a lower Kelvin measurement, such as 2,700K, then it will produce a warm light that has a yellow hue. Warm light is preferred for living spaces because it is more flattering to skin tones and clothing. If you are unsure of which to choose, color temperatures between 2,700K to 3,600K are recommended for most indoor general and task lighting applications.