Upgrading to LED Lighting

Switching to LED is one of the easiest upgrades: lower bills, longer life, and less heat. Bulbs last 15–25x longer and use 75–80% less energy.

What to replace

• Start with the most-used fixtures (kitchen, living room, outdoor) for the fastest payback
• Recessed cans — use LED retrofit kits or BR-style bulbs
• Don't forget dimmer switches: older dimmers often need an LED-rated replacement

Choosing the right bulb

• Brightness: look at lumens, not watts. ~800 lumens ≈ old 60W bulb
• Color temperature:
  • 2700K = warm white (living spaces, bedrooms)
  • 3000K = soft white (general)
  • 4000K = cool white (kitchens, work areas)
  • 5000K = daylight (garages, detail work)
• Color Rendering Index (CRI): 90+ for kitchens and bathrooms where color matters

Smart upgrades

• Smart bulbs for color/scheduling (need a hub or Wi-Fi)
• Motion-sensor bulbs for closets and outdoor security

Installation

1. Turn off the switch (and the breaker for ceiling fixtures).
2. Let old bulbs cool.
3. Screw in the LED hand-tight — never over-tighten.
4. For fixtures, check the maximum wattage label and stay under it.

LEDs are dimmable only if the bulb and the dimmer both say so. Flickering means a mismatch.