Should We Switch to GU10 LED Bulbs?

In this day and age everyone seems to be trying to use less of two things: money and energy. Since using energy costs money, there are easy ways of doing both by making your home more energy efficient. Though the use of electricity itself does not necessarily create harmful pollution, the electricity that flows into your home is – by and large – created by the burning of fossil fuels. By reducing the amount of energy your home uses you can prevent damage to the environment, and you also reduce the amount of money you spend on electricity. There are numerous ways of achieving this, such as properly insulating your home and getting a more energy efficient fridge, but one method that can be overlooked is swapping your halogen light bulbs for energy efficient LED bulbs.

GU10 LED bulbs are designed to replace halogen light bulbs in your home, to make the change easier and simpler. The initial cost of LEDs tends to be high compared to the alternatives, but the amount of energy that they save in the long term is worth it. For example, your typical halogen bulb may use 50 watts (joules of energy per second) whereas the equivalent LED bulb uses only 3 watts; less than one tenth of the energy use of the traditional, halogen bulb. Considering an increase in energy efficiency of this magnitude switching your traditional lights for LEDs is, without a doubt, a smart move towards lower energy consumption and lower costs.

LED bulbs are not the exact equivalent of halogen bulbs; there are some differences in how they work and in their effects. Light from LEDs tends to be more directional than that from traditional lights. This means that their light may not be suitable for general use, but it makes them perfect for use as spotlights. LEDs produce light in a narrow bandwidth, meaning that it is cheap and easy to make colored LED lights. LED lights have a much longer lifespan than other types of lights, generally lasting five times as long as halogen bulbs. Also, unlike halogen lights, LEDs are not contained in brittle glass, but in transparent plastic, making them much more durable and resistant, and so unlikely to break. Whilst the differences can cause some concerns, the advantages of GU10 LED over traditional, halogen lamps make them a much better choice, especially for specialist lighting.