LED & Halogen Downlights

Halogen downlights originally hit the shelves around 20 years ago and instantly became a massive hit. They replaced older style surface mount light fittings. They provided sleek, low profile lighting with even coverage throughout the room and when installed correctly, provided the house with a modern, designer feel. Unfortunately with all the benefits they provided, there were numerous downsides to the design and function of the trusty old halogen downlight.

Halogen downlights commonly used a 50w bulb per downlight and a typical house often had upwards of 30 or 40 downlights which can equate to over 2000w of power –  the equivalent of running your oven at full blast!) Now that’s a lot of electricity and as the cost of electricity began to rise over the past decade, the lighting began to have a significant impact on the electricity bill (especially if you have forgetful kids and/or partners!).

Example:

A house with 40 halogen downlights, being used for 4 hours per day at $0.28 per KwH will cost $1022.00 per year (not including the cost of bulbs, transformers, lampholders and electricians!). In comparison, a change to 10w LED downlights will see that $1022.00 reduced to just $204.40. That’s a HUGE saving of $817.60 per annum. Not only is that a huge saving on the electricity bill, most LED downlights have a warranty of 3-7 years (depending on brand) and a life expectancy of much longer (think 10-20 years). This means you won’t change a bulb, transformer or lamp holder for at least 3 years but more realistically 10+ years.

Fire Risk and Safety

Another important factor to consider is safety. Halogen downlights operate at between 300-500 degrees celsius which can have a significant impact on the heating/cooling of a home (particularly in our increasingly hot summers). In addition to this, having 30-40 uncovered downlights operating at over 300 degrees can become a serious fire risk, an issue brought to light during the governments 2008/2009 insulation scheme where insulation was being placed directly over downlights and causing numerous house fires. Personally, I have lost count of how many times I have pulled down a downlight only to find charred insulation, timber supports or burnt cabling. In fact, it has been estimated that halogen downlights account for 1 in 5 roof fires!

An LED upgrade in your home or business is a surefire way to help reduce electricity bills and make your home safer. We have an extensive knowledge of LED downlights and carry a huge range in all of our service vehicles allowing us to upgrade your downlights at a moments notice. Don’t hesitate to contact us regarding any issues for your lighting Northern Beaches and North Shore .