What really makes LEDs stand out is their lifespan. LED lights last longer than incandescent light bulbs. Exactly how much longer is determined by the brand of both the LED and incandescent lights.
One knock on LED lighting, however, is that it emits a colder, blue-hued light. Whether that’s an issue comes down to personal preference. You can see integral-led.com’s breakdown of warm light vs. cool light for more information.
You might stand in Walmart or Home Depot and look at prices thinking, “Why should I spend $8 on an LED when I can get an incandescent bulb for a dollar?” But are incandescent bulbs really cheaper? Turns out they’re not. Check out this side-by-side comparison:
You’ll spend almost three times as much replacing incandescent light bulbs in the long run. And that’s assuming LED lights don’t become more affordable. We recommend switching to LED lighting wherever you can, both for indoor lighting and outdoor security lights.
Watts vs. Lumens
Both watts and lumens have been used to measure the amount of light a bulb emits, but it isn’t exactly correct. Watts measure the amount of power needed to illuminate the bulb, while lumens measure the actual light produced by the bulb. To put it in perspective, a 60 watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens.
Incandescent bulbs use far more energy, meaning they require more wattage to produce the same amount of light as an LED bulb. This is why light output—or how bright a light bulb is—is measured in lumens instead of watts. Keep in mind, the more watts a bulb uses, the higher your energy bill will be.
Range
The range of a security light refers to two separate functions for your security light. Range of illumination—how far your security light actually casts light into the darkness—depends on the bulb’s lumens. Motion sensor range, on the other hand, is how far away a motion sensor registers movement in the darkness.
Range of illumination
Not all security lights need to illuminate an entire yard. Some only need to light up your porch. The best security light changes depending on where you plan to install it. Check your bulb. LED, incandescent, and compact fluorescent bulbs are rated by the number of lumens they produce.
If you want widespread light for your backyard or driveway, you need something with high lumens (700+) to project light further from your fixture. However, if you simply need to light up a porch, you can use an adapter like First Alert PIR725 Socket. Consider your intended location before you choose your security light.