Lighting is a key element in the interior design of your house. It influences the atmosphere inside and can add to the functionality and safety of any room. When you are building or renovating rooms inside your home, installing new lights can be a great opportunity to improve the ambience and comfort of your living space.
But good lighting is important not only in residential buildings but also in offices, workshops and any other type of space where you need good visibility. These days there are plenty of lighting styles for you to choose from. They even might seem limitless. However, modern lighting designs seem to be associated mostly with LED lights and halogen lights at the moment, but one question remains: which one is better? Let’s determine which is better in terms of energy consumption, cost-effectiveness and safety, among others: LED lighting or halogen lights?
What Are Halogen and LED Lights?
The key to making the right decision about your lighting is knowing the differences between the available options and understanding their advantages and disadvantages. Today, we’re going to focus on two of the most common lighting types: halogen and LED technology. What makes them more efficient than traditional incandescent light bulbs? And which option is a better choice for modern customers: halogen bulbs or LED bulbs?
Halogen lights can be briefly described as an enhanced and more energy-efficient version of incandescent lighting. Halogen bulbs generate light through heat, and, for this reason, they have to be made of heat-resistant glass. They contain a tungsten filament known from incandescent bulbs but add a new element, halogen gas, to prolong the bulb’s lifespan and eliminate discolouration on the casing. As a result, halogen technology is much more efficient than incandescent lighting when it comes to power consumption, brightness and longevity.
LED bulbs, on the other hand, produce light in a totally different way than traditional light bulbs. They are equipped with a filament that gradually burns out. This technique of producing light is much more efficient when compared to halogen or traditional bulbs because of the low heat waste. By reducing the amount of energy loss, LED bulbs are more energy efficient and can provide the same level of brightness as halogen and incandescent lighting without requiring as much power.
Which Type of Light Bulb Is Cheaper?
When it comes to LED vs halogen bulbs price, there are two different issues to consider: purchase price and cost-effectiveness. When comparing the cost of both types of bulbs, the halogen bulb comes out on top with the price of around £2. This means that it can be a choice even as much as over two times cheaper than an LED bulb, which costs around £4.30. Looking at the price alone, buying halogen bulbs seems to be more economical, especially as with LED light sources, you’re paying more money for fewer watts of power.
Yet the situation changes once you consider the costs of running and the lifespan of each bulb. LED lighting becomes significantly more cost-effective. This means that if you invest more at the moment of purchase and choose LED bulbs, you can save more in the long run.
Which Light Bulb Is Safer?
There have been studies over the years looking at the connection between halogen lights and fires. Some of them have pointed to the extensive heat produced by halogen light bulbs as being the cause of these fires. This warmth can ignite insulation batts and other materials, especially when they are not properly installed or maintained.
LED bulbs do not need to heat up to emit light and therefore are a lot safer. And it’s worth noting that the higher level of safety does not only concern fire hazards but also the everyday handling of the bulbs – unlike with a halogen bulb, you do not need to worry about getting burnt after touching the bulb before it cools down.
Which Light Bulb Is More Environmentally-Friendly?
LED lights are a better choice when it comes to energy savings. A halogen bulb can be up to 90% less efficient than a LED bulb when it comes to energy consumption while producing the same amount of artificial light. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that energy efficiency is a variable depending on brand and wattage. But either way, LED power supplies will ensure lower energy costs, providing significant long-term savings on your energy bills.
LED vs Halogen Longevity Compared
Despite the higher cost per light bulb when it comes to LED lights, such a bulb should last significantly longer than a halogen bulb. Depending on the brand, it could be up to forty times longer. The longevity will, of course, vary between products from the same light category, e.g., a LED bulb and LED tape light, but in general, LED lights should be able to outperform halogen lights.
Conclusion
All things considered, it seems that the LED vs halogen lights battle is won by the LED bulb. This type of light product is safer, has a longer lifespan, and is more environmentally friendly. For these reasons, it’s worth considering buying this type of bulb for your next renovation or lighting upgrade.