Why Do LEDs Burn Out Too Quickly?
Did you know that regular LED bulbs can burn out quickly – faster than incandescent bulbs – when connected to dimmer switches or old wiring? I’m sure I didn’t until all the expensive LEDs in my living room had gone out!
If you want the LEDs to be dim, you will need dimmable bulbs and dimmer switches that support LEDs. Financial website Money reports that even dimmable LEDs may not work in older switches . Lighting website Lux advises that LED backlit dimmer switches may not work with regular LEDs . (Even CFLs can also burn out quickly if you plug them into dimmer switches or if you turn them on and off too often.)
To switch your ceiling and wall lights to LEDs, you may need to replace your wiring, or pay someone else around $ 1,000 per room to do it . Depending on how much you use your LED bulbs, you only save $ 3-15 per year for each bulb . At this rate, it will take you a lifetime to recoup your costs. So don’t just do it for the money.
There are many other reasons to use LEDs, such as cool lighting effects or connecting smart bulbs to your home with remote control, or so you don’t have to change bulbs that often. Just keep in mind that even with proper wiring, the LEDs do not necessarily last as long as indicated on the packaging. Kitchen designer Dave Alderman told Money that lamps can have poor built-in electronic drivers, which could shorten lamp life from 40 to 5 years.
This way you can replace your floor lamps and table lamps with new ones that are compatible with LEDs. But if new bulbs continue to burn in your ceiling light, go back to incandescent bulbs. The new efficient incandescent bulbs, available at any hardware store and even many pharmacies, can last up to three times longer and use 75% more electricity than old ones. That’s only a third of the savings you get with LEDs, but you can get it without changing your wiring. And you don’t have to do the humiliating stair climb to replace the five dead LEDs.