As the days get shorter during the fall and winter months, the need to keep lights bright at home gets greater. But if you’re feeling a bit left in the dark when you’re in the bulb aisle with all the different options, we’re here to help you understand the differences between traditional incandescent bulbs to the newer LED bulbs so you’re never caught in the dark at home.

For starters, the $10 cost of LED bulbs might make you dismiss them right away, but before you do you should realize that you would probably use approximately 25 traditional bulbs over the lifetime of just one LED bulb.

So, if you invest in that one bulb, it not only helps you save money, but time, too. And we know time is just as valuable these days with our busy schedules–especially around the holidays. Plus, it costs almost $5 per year to run an incandescent bulb compared to about $1 per year for an LED bulb.

Now how do you integrate LED lighting at home? Here are a few tips to help you make the switch:

Start by upgrading LED bulbs in phases. To see the most immediate energy savings, upgrade the bulbs that get used the most, such as those in the kitchen or family room.

Next, upgrade the hard-to-reach bulbs, like your porch light or vaulted ceiling lights. You’ll be glad you did because chances are it will be a couple of decades before you have to climb up on that ladder to replace them again.

For LED lighting, 800 lumens is a good, all-purpose level and a bulb of this type will use less than 10 watts.

You can also refer to the light bulb packaging for information. All light bulb packaging carries the Federal Trade Commission’s Lighting Facts label that gives information about the bulb’s brightness, yearly cost and life expectancy.

Of course, our helpful in-store Ace Customer Service Specialists are always available to help with your buying decisions while you’re shopping.