When it comes to making your landscaping pop, landscape lighting fixtures are often what give it a professional, finished look. Well-placed lighting can showcase points of interest, illuminate walkways and be paired with water features for a beautiful effect. Security is another reason to incorporate exterior lighting fixtures into your landscape design; a well-lit home discourages vandals and burglars. More and more people are choosing led landscaping lights for their safety, efficiency and long lifespan. Here are some common questions people have about led lights.
What is an LED light?LED is an abbreviation of light-emitting diode. LEDs produce light via a process known as electro-luminescence. This means that they are illuminated by the movement of electrons in a diode, which is a semiconductor. Simply put, power applied to the electrons puts them in an excited state. This causes photon emission, which is visible as light.
Why should I choose LED lighting over less expensive conventional options?LED lights lights use 90% less energy than traditional halogen bulbs. They’re a particularly smart financial decision for lights that are on for more than six hours a day. They also have a low environmental impact.
How long will they last?A long time. Typically, LED lights last for about 50,000 hours. With average use, that works out to between fifteen and twenty years. In comparison to halogen, another popular choice in low voltage landscape lights , LED has it beat by about 40,000 hours of use.
Are they safe?Yes. Their energy efficiency means that they emit less heat, therefore are cool to the touch and safer to handle during installation and maintenance. They withstand rain and snow and are resistant to breakage. They don’t contain lead or mercury and when they do break, they don’t emit any harmful gases. Their UV emissions are also extremely low.
What color are they?The LED lights that are used to illuminate gardens and as architectural landscape lighting bear no resemblance to the harsh blue LEDs used in headlights or flashlights. They are coated to produce a warm white light similar to that of halogen bulbs.
LED is the latest technology in landscape lighting. It offers benefits in the form of safety, efficiency and longevity. These advantages, combined with versatility and a low environmental impact, are making LED bulbs a popular choice for exterior lighting needs.