How can I upgrade to LED lighting if my budget is tight? [Video]
When we mention LED products to customers, we sometimes sense some hesitation. When LED light bulbs hit the market years ago, there is no doubt they were more expensive and options were limited. Things have changed. Budgetary restraints are no longer an excuse not to upgrade to LED. It is possible to upgrade to LED on a tight budget.
There are several keys to pulling this off.
If you want to upgrade your commercial property or properties to LED, we recommend the following steps:
- Align yourself with a reputable manufacturer and distributor. There are LED options galore and choosing a single product for your building can be overwhelming. But the right partner will back you up with warranty and product support, which is important for your long-term peace-of-mind.
- We always recommend starting with a test install, or mockup, but when it comes time to move forward on a large-scale project, you want manufacturers that have your back.
- Make sure an LED upgrade is right for you. If you're interested in learning your rate of return on a new lighting upgrade, check out our energy savings calculator.
We also have several easy ways on our website for you to upgrade lighting products you use every day. For instance, if you normally use an incandescent A19 bulb, you can find the product in our online store. Once you click on the product, you will notice a line that says, “Get the LED equivalent…” followed by a dollar amount.
We also have a video with some advice to help you get started with LED lighting.
There's another challenge in the marketplace that’s making the process of switching to LEDs harder: off-brand and low-quality manufacturers.
It can often be difficult for the consumer to decipher between these products. How do you know if that low price really is too good to be true? How can you tell if you’re getting a light bulb or fixture that will actually last?
We consider this one of our top priorities, so it’s one less thing for you to worry about. Every product you see on our site is from one of our trusted manufacturing partners.
But you might keep thinking about the lower price. There are several ways to cut down on costs:
- Regional promotions
- Utility rebates
- Total cost of ownership and ROI analysis
- Lighting design consultation
- Warranty analysis
If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend talking through your options with a lighting specialist. Click here for a free lighting consultation.
Retrofitting to LED lighting has many advantages for your business including energy savings, easy maintenance, and improved visual appeal. Whether you're showcasing product, creating the ideal environment for your tenants, or simply looking to retrofit your lighting with the aim of saving money on energy and labor, LED is worth your consideration.
Video transcript: Let's say you're ready to go LED. Where do you start? You can go online, you can Google anything. You can find any type of LED product online. Is that the best place to go? You want to make sure you align yourself with a reputable manufacturer and a reputable distributor so that you have warranty support, you have case study support, and you have product support. Nothing is worse than starting a long-term project or investing in something that you want to make your property look better, but once you get the product you don't have any support – whether it fails and no one answers your phone call or it doesn't look like what the spec sheet said it would look like and you're having a hard time tracking down someone to help you. Once you know (you) want to go LED and (you) want to start in these one or two areas, always find a company that has been there before – in those applications – and has the product to help you, the warranty to help you, and case studies to look at, so you know they're going to support you from project beginning to project end.