Why LED Bulbs Are The Smart Choice – Even If They’re Not ‘Smart’

With the release of Amazon Echo and Google Home, smart home technology is becoming a reality for the masses. Alongside other domestic functions such as heating, windows, music and more, such systems are used to intelligently control lighting around the home. Light bulb expert, BLT Direct, is today explaining why LED light bulbs are also a smart choice for homeowners, whether or not they are used as part of these forward-thinking assistant packages.

A smart bulb is a light bulb that uses the internet to connect to a smartphone app or larger home automation system. Users then control the light, customising it towards their preferences and scheduling it to suit their daily routine. As well as enabling users to tailor their lighting with factors such as timings, brightness and even colour, restricting the use of light also brings energy and cost saving benefits. However, such benefits can also be realised using other exiting lighting solutions.

Steven Ellwood, Managing Director of BLT Direct explained, “There is a lot of excitement about smart homes as well as smart light bulbs. But it will be a while until this technology is widely adopted and used in a majority of British houses. If homeowners are looking for ways to upgrade their property with ‘clever’ solutions, LED light bulbs offer many benefits that make them the smart, accessible choice.

“LED light bulbs have an impressive lamp life, burning for around 15,000-30,000 hours. In theory this means LED bulbs will not need to be replaced until after 10 years, removing the need for this arduous and often costly task. What’s more, they are the most energy efficient lighting solution on the market, converting around 80% of its electrical energy to light. As well as being great on an environmental level, the cost reduction they can bring on energy bills is enormous.

“Smart bulbs as we know them often use LED light bulb technology, but even alone, these LED bulbs are pretty ‘smart’.”

While standard LED light bulbs cannot be controlled using an app, they offer versatility in that a huge variety of light bulb shapes and styles are now available as LEDs. Classic GLS shapes, fairy and strip lights as well as fluorescent light tube alternatives are on offer as LED light bulbs.