Lighting

LEDs

LED bulbs have now replaced Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) as the low energy choice. LED bulbs have no warm‑up time, no flicker and the most efficient ones use half the electricity that CFL bulbs use. They can also last over 10,000 hours and prices have come down substantially.

An LED bulb will give the equivalent of about 8 to 10 times its stated wattage when compared to an old incandescent or halogen bulb, so a 40w halogen would need a 4w or 5w LED to give a similar light level. This is so high that it is worth changing bulbs over to LED even before they fail. The differential between LED and compact fluorescent lights (CFL) is less (approx. double). It is therefore recommended to replace CFLs with LEDs only once they have failed.

Standard LEDs can be found in most local retailers. There are LED replacements for almost all domestic bulb types, including fluorescent tubes.

Light fittings with automatic movement sensors are useful in porches and outside.