Energy

Watts Stopped Meaning Brightness Two Decades Ago

Lumens measure light; watts measure consumption. An LED can produce eight times the light of an incandescent at the same wattage.

LED bulbs and packaging showing lumen ratings

Incandescent bulbs converted roughly 2% of their energy into visible light, so wattage was a workable proxy for brightness within that one technology. LEDs reach 100-150 lumens per watt, breaking the relationship entirely.

Match on lumens, then choose colour temperature separately.
Old incandescent	Lumens	Typical LED watts
40 W	450 lm	5 W
60 W	800 lm	8 W
75 W	1100 lm	11 W
100 W	1600 lm	15 W

Put this into practice

Energy Savings CalculatorWill this upgrade pay for itself?

More facts like this

Compressing Insulation Destroys Most of Its ValueAn R-19 batt crushed into a 2x4 cavity performs at roughly R-13 — you pay for R-19 and install R-13.
Standby Power Is a Real Line on Your Bill — Just Smaller Than ClaimedStandby typically accounts for 2-5% of household electricity now, concentrated in a handful of specific devices.
Attic Insulation Pays Back Faster Than Almost Any Other UpgradeTopping up attic insulation typically pays for itself in two to five years; replacement windows often take fifteen to thirty.