Your light bulb burns out, what do you replace it with? Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) or Light Emitting Diode (LED)?
Well, the smart money is on LEDs. They last longer, they are more efficient, and they are cheaper…in the long run.
Let’s start with lifespan. CFLs are designed to last about 8,000 hours (or about 330 days if you left it on 24 hours per day). LEDs are designed to last up to 50,000 hours (5.7 years of continuous light).
And that leads us to efficiency. CFLs are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs — 25% to 35% better. Even so, they’re no match for LEDs, which are 75% more efficient than incandescents.
Finally, the cost of LEDs. The average cost of a six pack of CFLs is $22 (or $3.60 / bulb). Six LEDs, on the other hand, cost $30 ($5 / bulb). To outfit your home, it’s going to cost more up front, but they last WAY longer. Because of their efficiency, they’re far less expensive over time.
Pro Tip: Based on personal observation, the average home has one light bulb for every 35 sqft. Different spaces need different light (you want more light in the bathroom than the dining room, for example), but on average you can plan for a light bulb between 30-40 sqft. A 2400 sqft home, then, would require about 70 light bulbs.
Facts and figures came from https://paylesspower.com/blog/led-vs-cfl-bulbs.