SWITCHING TO ENERGY-SAVING BULBS: HOW MANY OF YOUR LIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY LEDS?
Honestly, I’ve swapped about 90% of my home to LEDs at this point—just a couple accent lamps and one old-school bathroom fixture hanging on. I get the nostalgia, but the newer “warm” LEDs are actually pretty convincing if you pick the right color temp (2700K is usually my go-to). For bigger spaces, you’re spot on—the savings are hard to ignore. I do wish dimming was always as smooth as with incandescents, though. Some brands still flicker or have that weird delay... anyone else notice that?
SWITCHING TO ENERGY-SAVING BULBS: HOW MANY OF YOUR LIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY LEDS?
You’re definitely not alone with the dimmer issue—some LEDs just don’t play nice, even when they say they’re “dimmable.” I’ve found it really depends on both the bulb and the switch. Sometimes it’s a compatibility thing, especially with older dimmers that were designed for incandescents. Swapping out the dimmer for an LED-rated one usually helps, but yeah, it’s not always as buttery-smooth as the old bulbs.
I totally get hanging onto a few non-LEDs for nostalgia or just because they look right in certain fixtures. Honestly, I still see folks wanting that classic glow in custom builds, especially in bathrooms or reading nooks. The 2700K LEDs are getting better at mimicking that vibe though—some brands are almost spot-on.
It’s cool to see how much energy you’re saving overall. Even if a couple lights aren’t LED yet, you’re way ahead of most people. Curious if you’ve noticed any difference in your electric bill since making the switch? Sometimes the savings sneak up on you over a few months.
SWITCHING TO ENERGY-SAVING BULBS: HOW MANY OF YOUR LIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY LEDS?
I swapped out almost every bulb when we moved in, and honestly, the drop in our electric bill was noticeable after a couple cycles. Not massive, but enough to feel like it was worth the hassle. Still have a couple old-school bulbs in the dining room though—just can’t beat that warm glow for dinner. The dimmer thing drove me nuts at first, but switching to Lutron LED-compatible dimmers solved it for us. Worth every penny if you ask me.
SWITCHING TO ENERGY-SAVING BULBS: HOW MANY OF YOUR LIGHTS ARE ACTUALLY LEDS?
You nailed it with the dimmer issue—those older switches just don’t play nice with LEDs. I ran into the same headache in a client’s remodel last year. Swapped to LED-compatible dimmers and suddenly everything worked like it should. And yeah, there’s something about incandescent in dining spaces… I get why you kept a couple. Still, even partial switchovers make a difference on the bill. Good call sticking with what feels right for the space.
And yeah, there’s something about incandescent in dining spaces… I get why you kept a couple.
I get the nostalgia factor, but I’m not convinced the “feel” of incandescents is worth the energy trade-off, especially with how good some of the newer LEDs are at mimicking warm light. I’ve seen some clients swear they can tell the difference, but in side-by-side tests, most can’t pick the LED out. Maybe it’s just habit? I’d argue full LED conversion pays off faster than people think, even in those “special” rooms.