By Deb Lovig

From what we see in development right now, we LED industry folks are expecting the arrival in the next 12 months or so of a brand new, better performing crop of LED “bulb” products. Many companies, big and small, are working fast and furiously to bring better quality, longer-lasting and brighter/better color LED bulbs in a variety of flavors into the market. This is important for commercial and institutional use, but it also brings along anticipation for the home market.

My family and friends are asking, “When and why would I buy LED lighting for my home?”

You are the CFO for your household, right? Well, okay so maybe your spouse is the CFO, but one of you puts on that hat and says “let’s consider LED lighting and how it might make sense for our household.” The question is where can LED lighting save you money or pain?

Let’s start with the concrete benefits of LED lighting and how that might guide your switch.

Significant energy savings. A reduction of 40-80 percent is what we are going for here. Paying too much for electricity? Might want to switch to LED lighting for those fixtures you use the most.

Long life. As long as 10-25 years depending on how many hours they are on. Seriously. You’ll likely renovate or tear down and rebuild before you have to change out some LED fixtures or bulbs. That’s why I advocate using the word “fixture” even when the LED light looks like a bulb. You know that vaulted ceiling in your entry way or great room? Might just be the right place for LED lighting, especially if you fear heights.

No mercury. Extremely important for kitchen, food and kid areas of your house. As our good friend Steve DenBaars out at UC Santa Barbara has suggested, a shooting champagne cork unintentionally aimed at that fluorescent bulb over  the island in your kitchen or dining table makes a n-a-s-t-y layer of mercury-tainted glass shards over the area in which you prepare or enjoy food. Last I heard mercury doesn’t mix all that well with broccoli.

Durability. As a mother of two active boys (read: extremely active) I might consider putting LED lights in any fixture that could have a face-to-face meeting with a basketball, shoe or tossed brother. Experience and pocketbook talking here… While I’m on this particular benefit, durability, if you are prone to drop bulbs or fixtures while climbing a ladder, I can attest to the fact that LED lights take a beating and keep on lighting. Myth Proved.

Where would you NOT want to switch to LED lighting in your home?

Our buddy Tom Helbig Jr. up at Madison Area Technical College is moving as fast into LED lighting as he can at the college. He’s also trying them out at home. His new LED light made it painfully clear that his master bath needs a fresh coat of paint. Busted!

What about those eye-ball spot lights aimed at the amazing painting over the mantel that you never remember to turn on unless you are dusting at night (who dusts at night, really)? If you don’t actually ever use the light, you probably don’t need to switch it to LED.

Call me fickle, but that gorgeous Murano glass fixture or okay, Swarovski Crystal chandelier in your grand entry way? NEVER, EVER replace that. Unless of course you break it while changing those tiny little glass bulbs…or you can’t get up the ladder without dropping them. Hey, you can always rent a lift.