In the latest Ty Talks installment presented by Jackson EMC, television star and home energy expert Ty Pennington discusses the reasons that lighting a home with LED bulbs is the best choice for lessening energy consumption and saving money.

LED bulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs, but their life expectancies are much longer. Traditional light bulbs last around 1,500 hours, while LED bulbs could last anywhere from 25,000 to 60,000 hours.

In addition to the LED bulb’s greater operating capacity, its energy-efficiency is 80 percent higher than traditional light bulbs. The higher energy-efficiency means it needs less energy to operate for as long as it does. Ty explains that homeowners who change 40 light bulbs from traditional incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs could save $11 weekly on energy costs that add up to more than $500 yearly on energy bills.

Further, unlike LED bulbs, incandescent bulbs produce heat that the HVAC system needs to compensate for and use more energy. Cooling the heat produced by 100-watt incandescent light bulbs costs around $1 per month. An LED bulb can also be turned off and on frequently without its lifetime or light emission being affected.

So, that pack of LED bulbs may be more costly upfront, but they will need to be replaced less frequently and cost less in energy usage than traditional bulbs. As technology improves and LED manufacturers continue to innovate, more and more forms of LED bulbs, like tiny computers, will appear and become easier to maintain, provide connectivity with smart home devices and more. That pack of LED bulbs will be able to do more than light a home and save money on energy bills, so the initial cost will be worth it.

Home energy, Ty says, is all about “doing more while consuming less.” Get started on your path toward an energy-efficient home by contacting Jackson EMC at 770-822-3211 to schedule a Home Energy Evaluation.