Do LED Lights Get Hot

Do LED Lights Get Hot

Anyone who has ever grabbed hold of a light bulb while it was still hot will probably ask, “Do LED lights get hot?” Actually, LED Lights do not get hot in the sense of creating heat that will burn a person or melt a surface. In fact, an LED bulb that has been on for days can be unscrewed with bare hands! A very small immeasurable amount of heat is generated during the process of the current flowing to the semiconductor, but this heat is so miniscule it can barely be detected. This is one of the greatest advantages of LED lighting for a number of reasons.

Do LED Lights Get Hot Enough to Create Fire Hazards?

Many fires have been associated with some sort of debris or paper being within an unsafe proximity to a hot light bulb. Lamps that are kept on a bedside table have an even greater risk of causing a fire, if an extremely hot incandescent light bulb should come in contact with a piece of clothing, paper or any other flammable materiel or liquid. With LED light bulbs this hazard does not exist. In fact some of these light bulbs are even encased in plastic housings. This could never be done with other light bulbs, as the casing would melt.

Less Heat Decreases in Energy Usage

By remaining cool LED lights do not generate even the slightest temperature rise that other light bulbs do. Studies have shown that light bulbs can raise the temperature in the home by as much as 10 degrees, depending on how many are lit and how long they are left on. For this reason LED lights are more efficient is conserving electricity. Another aspect of LED lights that conserves energy is their ability to illuminate a room using about a third of the electricity that other light bulbs use. If anyone should ask, “Do LED lights get hot?” you can honestly answer, “Not hot enough to raise my light bill!”

Less Heat = Longer Lasting Lights

Heat is one of the main factors that cause incandescent bulbs to blow. Their normal life span is rated at about 2,000 hours even with regulated use. If an incandescent light bulb is left on constantly, it will surely blow from over heating. LED lights have a life span of 100,000 hours, and could possibly stay on constantly for the entire duration of their lives! Since heat is not an issue with LED lights, there will never be the occasion for one to blow as a result of overheating.

So then, do LED lights get hot? The final answer would be that they can get warm, but still cool to the touch. They do not get hot enough to create a fire hazard or burn a person in the process of changing out a bulb. The funny thing is, they last so long that most people will forget what changing bulbs is all about by the time they do burn out!