Since fluorescent lights have been available on the market, there have always been debates about which of these two types of lighting is better. The main reason that people are so interested in this topic is that they want to save money while still getting quality light. Because both fluorescent and led lights are energy-efficient options for consumers today, it’s important to know some basic facts about each type before making a purchasing decision.

How does LED work?

LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. The way LED fixtures work is by passing electricity through a semiconductor, which causes the semiconductor to produce light. With an led lighting system, there are several diodes that are clustered together to create brighter and/or larger lights. These types of fixtures can be used for streetlights, car headlights, or even in your home as indoor lighting.

How does fluorescent work?

Fluorescent lighting uses mercury vapor and argon gas, along with a phosphor coating on the inside of the tube. This process makes light by exciting the gas atoms, which produces ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light reacts with the phosphor coating and that reaction causes visible light. Fluorescent lights actually use more electricity than LED lamps and produce slightly more heat as well.

Price

When considering the costs of purchasing and running a fluorescent light, consumers should be aware that they have to factor in the price of the fixture as well. The average cost of a fluorescent fixture is between $15 and $20, while led lights can start at around $5 per unit.

This may seem like a big difference, but when you consider how much money you will save on your energy bills it starts to become clear that making the switch from one type of lighting to another could actually save you quite a bit of money over time.

Fluorescent bulbs tend to be cheaper than led lights when you consider the cost per bulb. However, when factoring in the price of the fixture, it is very common for both options to have an initial purchase price that is similar.

Longevity

As with any type of lighting device, fluorescent and led lighting differ when it comes to their expected life span. While most fluorescent bulbs are rated to last about 20,000 hours, led lights can typically last anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 hours before failing. This means that using led light can save you around $50 or more over a ten-year period because you will need to replace the bulbs less frequently than if they were fluorescent tubes.

Amount Of Light Produced By Each Type

It’s important to know how much light each type of bulb will produce before making a purchasing decision. Fluorescent tubes tend to provide more light for the same amount of wattage, which means that they are going to be able to handle tasks that require a brighter light source. However, this is not always the case and it really depends on what you need your lighting for. For example, if you are looking to illuminate an area with deep colors or make plants grow bigger, led lights might be better suited because they can typically produce more lumens per watt than fluorescent tubes.

Economy Of The Device

It’s also important to know about the economy of each type of bulb. Fluorescent lighting tends to use more electricity than led light fixtures, which means that you will be spending more on your energy bills even though the initial price of both options might be similar. The less power that you can consume without impacting productivity or quality, the better off everyone is going to be so choosing an option like led lights can result in big savings over time.LED lights have been found to be up to seven times more efficient than fluorescent lights.

Environment

The environment is another thing that you should always think about when considering lighting options. Fluorescent light fixtures tend to contain mercury, which can pose a hazard if not disposed of properly. LED lamps don’t require any special disposal and they also reduce the number of toxic materials in landfills by being so much more energy efficient.

Effectiveness

When led lights first started hitting the market, some people were concerned that they would not be an effective replacement for fluorescent tubes. However, after a lot of testing and experimentation, it has been proven that this new technology is just as good when it comes to helping plants and fish grow and also enhances colors in home décor.

The main concern with using led lighting is that you cannot put them in fixtures that are near water because they can start electrical fires if they get too hot. Fluorescent lights have no problems being used around water because they do not produce enough heat to cause any damage or burn anything. This is why people will often use these types of lighting options in above-ground pools to illuminate their landscaping at night.

Range Of Color

The range of colors that you can expect from fluorescent and led lighting is also something to consider when making a purchasing decision. Fluorescent tubes produce light in the same color range as the sun and help bring back colors that we commonly associate with daylight hours.

However, led lights provide a wider color spectrum and are able to emit several different shades of red, green, blue, and yellow which make them ideal for tasks like hydroponic growing where plant life needs all types of different colored lighting options in order to thrive.

When considering these facts it becomes evident that both types of lighting have their own set of pros and cons. If you plan on using your lights outdoors, LEDs might be a better option since they do not produce any heat, but if you need to be able to grow plants indoors, fluorescent should be considered because it is 100% safe for use around water. In other words, both types of lighting can effectively achieve the same goals and supplement one another when used together in the right situation.

Ergonomy

Each type of lighting also requires a different amount of electricity to power them. Since fluorescent bulbs only use about 20% of the energy that a red light does, this might be an important consideration if you are looking to reduce your utility bills. However, it is important to keep in mind that while both options have initial purchase prices that are about the same, led lighting will last twice as long as fluorescent lights which means that it will save you money over the long term by reducing the number of times that you need to buy replacement tubes.

Growing plants

Growing indoors can be particularly challenging because you need to create an environment that is similar to the one found outside. If your home or greenhouse lacks natural sunlight, using fluorescent lighting will help plant life grow to its full potential since these bulbs provide light in all spectrums and at different intensities depending on what stage of growth your crops are in. Conversely, led lights only emit light in certain bands so if you want to see your best results when growing indoors, we would recommend using both types of lighting together for maximum effect.

Safety

The last thing to consider is the safety of each type of bulb. Florescent lights can emit large amounts of ultraviolet light, which presents a risk for retinal damage. This kind of exposure may not pose an issue if you are using the bulbs in an area where no one will be looking directly at them for long periods of time. For example, they are great for garages or basements. LED lamps don’t have this same problem because they produce very little infrared light compared to fluorescent lighting.

The Best Lighting For You

Both fluorescent and led lighting have their benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to consider what you will be using each type of bulb for in order to make the best purchasing decision. If you are looking to cut down on costs while making your business more environmentally conscious, switching from incandescent or compact fluorescent light bulbs to led fixtures is definitely going to be your best option.

On the other hand, if you are planning on using your lights for situations that require a lot of light, then led light bulbs might not be the best choice because they typically produce fewer lumens per watt than fluorescent tubes do.

There is no denying that lights have made huge advancements over the past several years, but if you want to make sure that you are getting the best possible lighting option for your home or business, it is important to consider which type of lighting will be the most effective for your particular needs. This means taking into consideration how much electricity each kind of bulb uses and whether or not they can be used around water.

If these criteria are met, then both fluorescent and led lights have the potential to provide you with high-quality results that could potentially help increase your plant yield or enhance certain colors in décor.