LED vs. Halogen Lights — Which Type Of Landscape Lighting Is Right For You?

When choosing outdoor lighting, one of the most common questions homeowners face is whether to choose halogen lights or LED lighting.

That question is right up there with “Should I have a side salad with my burger, or fries?” It may be even more crucial, though!

Let’s walk through the pros and cons of each.

Cost

Naturally, cost is on most peoples’ minds when making an outdoor lighting decision.

Because of the higher production and development cost of LED technology, it’s significantly more expensive than its halogen counterpart.

A halogen bulb for typical path lighting might cost $4 or $5, compared to $20 to $28 for LED. A large uplight in halogen runs about $10, compared to $45 to $95 for LED.

Well, that answers that, right?

Not so fast. While the upfront cost of LED bulbs is higher, it costs considerably less to run them.

Energy Use

Outdoor LED lights not only use up to 75 percent less power than conventional lights, they also last 20 times longer, with an average life span of over 40,000 hours.

You’ll need to replace bulbs every year for a halogen system and possibly every 10 years for an LED system.

Unless you really love climbing ladders, that’s a lot less hassle.

Other Factors To Consider

Some people worry about the color. When LED lights first came out, they had a white/bluish hue. Sort of like an alien ship might have landed. Today’s improved LED bulbs have the same warm, pleasing hue as halogen.

Even if your landscape lighting is primarily halogen, experts recommend you switch to longer-lasting LED fixtures for hard to reach areas like up in trees or on the peaks of your home. Again, the ladder issue. Install LED lights, then forget about them.

There’s a professional LED bulb equivalent for almost every halogen outdoor bulb, making it easy to convert existing systems without undergoing a landscape lighting redesign.

Getting Started

If you already have an outdoor lighting system installed and want to take advantage of the more efficient LED systems, Neave can help. We’re happy to convert your existing system to LED lights.

It all starts with a site analysis. A Neave consultant will visit your property to discuss ideas. We custom design and install all of our lighting arrangements, using our creativity and knowledge to create the perfect system for you.

Our professional installation teams will wire your lighting system exactly the way you want it, giving you full control. (And we’ll walk you through how it all works before we turn you loose on it, too.)

We also have a variety of other energy efficient products. Just ask!

Ready To Get Started?

If you’re in the Hudson Valley, call us at (845) 463-0592. If you’re in Westchester County, call (914) 271-7996; from Connecticut, dial (203) 212-4800. Or, fill out our simple web form, and we’ll contact you about setting up your free consultation.

Things are looking brighter already.