LED lights are a great way to cut down on overhead costs and save money each year. They’re an energy efficient lighting solution with easy installation and conversion. They require little maintenance and provide beneficial, bright light that can keep workers safe in large-scale buildings, and even promote productivity in an office environment. That’s not to say that there aren’t measures you can take to make LEDs operate even more effectively.
While the average life of an LED bulb is an impressive 50,000 hours, even the most energy efficient lighting systems might experience issues if proper equipment isn’t used. Incorrect installation or fixture choice, manual switches, and improper use can decrease the life expectancy of bulbs in your lighting system.
As lighting maintenance and installation experts in the Chicago area, we have a lot of experience with LEDs and getting the most out of your lighting solution. Find out our tips for extending your LEDs’ shelf life, some advantages to using LEDs, and more.
Control LED Lights When Not in Use
If your LEDs are used to light smaller scale environments like an office suite or studio space, installing motion-detecting light controls or even smart switches might not be the cost effective solution you need. If your LED life expectancy is subpar, the issue could simply be that they’re left on for too long.
It may seem like an obvious potential problem to point out, but LED shelf life benefits greatly from a little conscious management. Instead of leaving your primary lights on when your space is not in use, make a point to shut off as many lights as possible at the end of the work day. You can designate secondary lights to leave on at night for security purposes, but you’ll find your LED life expectancy will greatly improve when you bring a little mindfulness to their use.
Avoid Frequently Turning Lights On and Off
We all know that leaving lights on wastes energy and can lead to premature outages and frequent replacements. But it’s also true that switching lights on and off too often can also negatively impact the lifespan of any lighting system, including LEDs.
In the same vein that switching lights off at the end of the night can help extend an LED’s lifespan, reducing the frequency with which lights are switched off can also help reduce strain on your lighting system. In order to change on off habits, take notice of lights in high traffic areas. If lights are switched off and on every time people enter and leave the space, there may be opportunity to preserve LED shelf life by leaving those lights on for longer.
While the technology of an LED is specifically designed not to require heating up and cooling off like a fluorescent bulb, being mindful of how often you switch the lights on and off can still help extend the average life of an LED bulb. Additionally, performing regular LED maintenance and consulting experts can greatly improve LED life expectancy and help your facility save energy.
Occupancy Sensors & Motion Light Switches
For larger facilities with expansive lighting systems, it’s just as important—if not more so—to extend LED life expectancy to cut down on overhead costs. In this case, when the sheer size of a facility makes it difficult to manually manage energy preservation, automated systems can help control the lights.
For high traffic areas that are frequented by workers throughout the day, occupancy sensors can help determine the best times for the lights to dim or turn off completely, without the need for a person to manually switch lights on and off. This ability to dim lights is another advantage of LEDs and a great energy saving feature to leverage with an automated occupancy sensor.
Depending on the needs of your facility, there are either active occupancy sensors that use ultrasonic waves to detect people or passive occupancy sensors that use less energy and detect people by infrared signature. Both solutions can help effectively manage light use and extend the average life of LED bulbs and lighting systems. If you aren’t sure which occupancy or motion sensor is right for your facility, the experts at Imperial Lighting can help you get started.
Extend the Average Life of LED Bulbs With Timed Light Switches
For a middle-of-the-road solution that doesn’t require the installation of a motion sensor or changing light-use habits manually, facilities, large and small, extend the average life of LEDs with the use of timed switches. Another popular solution for commercial spaces is to use LED dimmers. It’s just a matter of discovering which kind is appropriate for your space.
Like sensors, timed switches come in a variety of models and price points and will need to be researched based on the needs of your facility. They can hard-wire into an electrical system, or plug directly into an outlet. Plug-in timed light switches are primarily suited for a single fixture, while hard-wiring is a little more robust solution fit for facilities with large lighting systems.
Hard-wiring timed light switches into your building’s existing light system can help ensure that none of the interior or exterior lights at your facility are left on for an extended period of time. Some timed light switches may require the user to manually turn the light on, but having an automatic shut off can easily increase the life expectancy of LEDs.
To learn more about LED upgrades, or any of our electrical and lighting services, contact the experts at Imperial Lighting. Get in touch with us as we’re here to answer all of your questions and help you find the right lighting solution for your facility’s needs.
