Can You Leave LED Strip Lights On All Night?

Light Emitting Diode Lights, more popularly known as LED lights, offer energy-efficient lighting technology to residential and industrial establishments.

LED strip lights are becoming more and more popular as they continue to improve to change the future of lighting technology.

Using this type of light has a number of advantages including environment-friendliness, efficiency, energy-saving abilities, and low costs.

LED lights are known to have a long lifespan, but the top question everyone has for this type of light is whether you can leave LED strip lights on all night or not.

We’re here to answer all your LED-related questions and help you out in choosing the best LED strip lights for your home. First, let’s discuss what these strip lights are.

What are LED Strip Lights?

can you leave led lights on all night

LED Strip Lights, also known as LED Tape Lights, are LED-populated linear circuit boards formed in a strip.  Each strip has a variety of LED chips arranged and soldered to the length of the tape.

These are flexible strips with adhesive at the backside that can be taped anywhere. These strips range from a meter to several meters long.

LED strip lights can be easily mounted on almost all surfaces. They improve lighting and make tight spaces more appealing and attractive.

Because of this, many homeowners use this kind of light to brighten their kitchen counters, bathroom accents, cabinets, shelves, ceilings, and narrow spaces at home.

Not only that, but LED strip lights are also common in business establishments like hotels, storefront displays, building signages, and art displays. They are popular for stage and set designs too!

With its many uses, people often ask whether LED strip lights can be turned on for long periods of time. Let’s look into the question everyone’s asking: Is it safe to leave LED strip lights overnight?

Can You Leave LED Strip Lights On All Night?

how long do led lights last

We get you, you just want to be extra safe. Generally, LED lights are safe when turned on for many hours. High-quality LED strip lights have an extremely long lifespan and great light quality which makes them great for long use.

According to studies, LED lights produce minimal amounts of heat because they consume less electricity than other bulbs. They can still get warm with prolonged use but the temperature won’t be as high.

This means that the risk for fires, explosions, and other electrical damage is relatively low. However, you should still take basic precautions as accidents can still occur.

Well-manufactured LED strip lights have a great lifespan. Be wary of cheaper LED strips as these may be of substandard quality, making them a fire hazard.

Make sure to check your strip light’s circuit board before using it. Also, prior to leaving them lit for several hours, try switching them on for a couple of minutes then observe. Again, it’s always better to be extra safe than sorry!

What Happens If You Leave LED Strip Lights On 24/7?

how long led lights last

Before leaving your LED strip lights on all night, you should also assess whether it is necessary to do so. In most cases, leaving LED strip lights on overnight is just a bad habit.

Sometimes, there is no actual need to keep them on for hours. So keep this general rule in mind: Only leave your LED strip lights on if you need to.

But, what happens if you forgot to turn your LED strip lights off for quite a while? We now know that LED strip lights are generally safe, but you might be wondering if there are certain risks.

It’s important to remember that LED lights are not a fire hazard. They generate very little heat not enough to ignite a fire. Overheating is one of the causes of an electrical fire, but with LED strip lights, the risk is very low.

When to Turn Your Lights Off

Now that you are aware of the safety of LED strip lights being turned on for hours, you might be wondering when to turn them off.

Here is a comparison of the different types of light bulbs:

Type of Light Bulb

Most Common Uses

 Average Lifespan

 When you should turn it off

LED

Household and industrial use (eg. parking garage lighting, walkway)

35,000 hours and above

Can be left on for 24 hours every day

Incandescent

Household, commercial lighting, and portable lighting (eg. flashlights, car headlamps, and advertising lighting)

750 to 2,000 hours

 Turn off when not in use

Halogen Incandescent

Automotive headlamps, cabinet lighting, filming light

3,000 to 4,000 hours

 Turn off when not in use

Fluorescent

Commercial, industrial, classroom, and retail lighting

24,000 to 36,000 hours

If you will be out of the room for over 15 minutes, turn it off. If not, you can leave it on.

Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL)

Residential setting, most commonly replacing halogen light

35,000 to 50,000 hours

If you will be out of the room for over 15 minutes, turn it off. If not, you can leave it on.

Advantages of Keeping LED Strip Lights On

how long does led lights last

LED strip lights are environment-friendly

Because the average lifespan of LED lights is over 35,000 hours, you don’t have to replace them frequently. They generate no waste until their lifespan is over. Compared to other lights, you are putting less into the landfill by using LEDs.

They illuminate narrow spaces at night

Ever had to run in the kitchen in the middle of the night? LED strip lights will literally save you from the dark! These strips generate high-quality light that will help you see clearly even from further distances.

LED strip lights have a longer lifespan

You don’t have to worry about your light burning out – a lifespan of 35,000 hours above is an advantage. Some LED lights have been tested to have a lifespan of even up to 100,000 hours!

LED strip lights consume less energy

LED lights use 75% less energy when compared to incandescent bulbs. Less energy consumption means less heat generated. They won’t get hot enough to cause fire and other electrical issues. This advantage yields to less pollution as well.

These lights reduce cost over time

LED strip lights last a long time. Keeping them doesn’t cost a lot, with no need for frequent replacement. Indeed, these strip lights are very cost-efficient.

You can customize the light’s settings

What’s awesome about LED lights is the user’s ability to program and customize them. You can change the colors from vibrant shades to darker hues. Besides this, you can also choose from various light patterns like pulsating, flashing, or moving lights. Some LED lights can be connected to music as well. This is perfect for when you have special events like birthday parties or karaoke nights. Some are even known to induce good sleep!

If you’re interested in these advantages and you’re planning to get LED lights for your home or establishment, we’re here to help you out. Let’s look into the important things you should know when choosing LED strip lights:

Looking for the Best LED Strip Lights for Long Use

are led lights safe

In order to leave LED strip lights on all night, you have to make sure that your LED is well-manufactured. Cheap versions of LED strip lights may not be the best to leave overnight. Here are a few things you should know when shopping for LED strip lights:

1. Types of LED Strips

There are various types of LED strip lights depending on their use. Some LED strip lights are great for indoor use, while others are better suited for outdoor areas. The following are some of the categories of LED strips:

  • DC LED Flex Strips
  • AC LED Flex Strips
  • LED Rope Light
  • High Output LED Strips

2. LED lights per foot

If you’re looking for LED strips that will give your place a higher intensity and quality of light, look for strips that have the highest number of LEDs/length (per foot, meter, or yard). LEDs spaced too far from one another may give off sparse light, while LEDs placed close to each other produce brighter light.

3. LED Colors

LED strip lights come in single and multiple color strips. The most common colors for this type of light are Neutral White, Warm White, Cool White, Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Ultra Violet. Depending on its purpose, you can choose from basic single-color strips to color-changing variants.

4. LED Brightness

Some LED strip lights may seem to light up brighter than others. The reason for this is the continuous development in LED technology. This factor depends on Lumens. Take into account the number of Lumens your LED strip light has. You may check the packaging for this information.

5. Most Common LED Strip Fails

Before installing your LED strip lights, it’s helpful to know the factors that may lead to LED installation failure. Some of these include the following:

  • Exposed LED strips
  • Hotspots drooping or twisting
  • Excessive bending of LED strips
  • Wrong choice of LED power
  • Insufficient number of LEDs per meter

Being aware of these causes of LED installation failure will help you easily and efficiently install your lighting set-up.

Final Thoughts

LED technology continues to improve and innovate. With the evolution in this technology, LED strip lights have been presenting more advantages over other types of lights.

One of the best advantages is safety, where you can leave LED strip lights on all night. Thanks to LED strip lights’ long lifespan, you don’t have to worry about them burning out.

Having your LED lights turned on 24/7 is extremely safe but, of course, it’s always best to be wise and responsible about its use.

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