LED Lighting Upgrade: Is It Worth It?
Short answer: yes. Here's what switching to LED actually saves, what to look out for when choosing fittings, and whether you need an electrician or can do it yourself.
Switching from halogen or incandescent lighting to LED is one of the best-value electrical upgrades in a South Auckland home. The payback period is often under a year.
The numbers: A standard halogen downlight uses 50W. An equivalent LED uses 8–10W — about 80% less energy. If you have 10 downlights running 4 hours a day, the saving is roughly $150–$200 per year at current Auckland power prices.
Can you do it yourself? If you’re just replacing globes in existing fittings, yes — no sparky needed. If you’re replacing the whole fitting (e.g., swapping old halogen downlights for integrated LED downlights), that’s electrical work and needs a licensed electrician.
What to look for in LED fittings:
- Colour temperature: 2700K is warm white (like old incandescent), 4000K is neutral/cool. Most people prefer 2700–3000K for living areas.
- CRI (Colour Rendering Index): 80+ is fine, 90+ is better if colours matter (kitchens, art).
- Dimmable: If you have dimmers, make sure the LED is dimmable and compatible with your dimmer switch.
- IP rating: Any fitting in a bathroom needs IP44 minimum.
We do full LED retrofits — old halogens out, new integrated LEDs in, tested and certified. If you want a quote for your home, get in touch.
Full guide with product recommendations coming soon.