It is a common practice in most homes to keep the lights on throughout the night for various reasons. But most people are worried about leaving their lamps on all night.
House fires are often blamed on electricity, so people are uneasy leaving the lights on for long hours.
So, Can A Lamp Be Left On All Night?
Modern lamps and low-voltage LED bulbs have a very low risk of overheating or fire. Therefore, leaving the lamp on overnight shouldn’t be a fire hazard. However, if you are using halogen bulbs, there is a risk of overheating. On the other hand, LED bulbs are very efficient in electricity consumption and heat emission. They do not overheat, which is why they are a great choice for a lamp that stays on all night.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) vs. Halogen Bulbs
Halogen light bulbs used to be go-after for home lighting, but in recent days, LED bulbs have become more popular due to their high efficiency.
An average 60-Watt halogen light bulb loses up to 90% of its energy as heat compared to LED’s 10%. They give off a lot of heat, producing potential fire hazards near combustible materials.
LED bulbs are much more efficient in conserving energy. Only 10% of their energy is lost in the form of heat. Due to this, LED bulbs get warm if they are left on all night.
Although halogen light bulbs are cheaper, they have a short lifespan. LED light bulbs last about 25-50 times longer than halogen bulbs.
You will find that LED bulbs dim over their lifetime until they are not working.
For these reasons, you can leave an LED-lit lamp on all night without worrying about a fire hazard.
Are All The Lamps In Your Safe To Leave On All Night?
Bedside Lamp
You can leave your bedside lamp on all night if you have to. What is important is to ensure that the bulb you are using supports continuous use, preferably LED.
The LED bulbs are safe to leave them overnight. There is almost zero chance of fire hazard, and there is no concern for burns if you accidentally touch the bulb.
The only concern with bedside lamps is the color of the LED bulb. Lights with short wavelengths hurt the quality of your sleep.
Desk Lamp
Just like bedside lamps, it is safe to leave a desk lamp on all night, given that you are using a continuous-use rated bulb instead of an incandescent bulb.
On the flip side, leaving your lamp on all night will shorten its lifespan. Modern lamps provide light while saving energy.
To conserve energy and prolong the lifespan of your lamp, consider equipping your lamp with timers or motion sensors that will auto-switch your lamp when not in use.
Three Benefits Of Leaving The Lights On All Night
1. It Relieves The Fear Of Darkness
The nightlight is a relief to people who fear the darkness.
A dimly lit bedside lamp exposes the house layout without having to turn on the primary light.
It can be a nightmare for children to fall asleep if they are terrified by the darkness.
One way to help them quickly fall asleep is to have the bedside lamp on all night.
2. It Provides Better Visibility
If you walk in the dark, you will likely hit obstacles on the walkways or stairs and unnecessarily injure yourself.
Perhaps you have stubbed your toes against your bed leg or sofa on your way to the bathroom.
A night light can help you stop the obstacles before you knock them.
3. Lights Provide Security
It is hard to predict when burglars are going to hit your home. However, leaving the lights on throughout the night can help scare away some thieves.
We know some burglars are brazen enough to break in even daylight.
A dark home is probably void of its residents, so thieves are likely to break in.
If you are likely to be away from your home for some time, install motion sensors or a timer and randomize the times when the lights shall be switched on.
Three Negative Effects Of Leaving A Lamp On Overnight
1. Higher Electric Bills
The obvious downside of leaving the lights on all night is an increase in electricity bills.
This may be a negligible increase if you are using LED bulbs.
If you cannot do without lights at night, you should choose low-wattage bulbs that are energy efficient.
2. Shorter Bulb Lifespan
Another effect is that leaving the lamp on overnight shortens the lifespan of the bulbs.
The more you use it, the more it wears down. You should switch the lights off when they are not needed.
3. Poor Sleep
Health experts advise that sleeping with lights on affects the quality of your sleep.
When the lights are on, it is easier to be distracted by the stuff in our surroundings.
You will not be able to achieve deeper sleep. You need to get quality sleep to be more alert the following day.
Conclusion
You can leave the lamp on all night using a low-wattage LED bulb.
The LED bulbs are energy efficient and do not overheat after prolonged use.
But before you leave the lights on, ensure that the lamp is in good condition with no damage to the power cables.
Put away any flammable materials that are close to the lamp.