Lighting is the most visible energy consumption in most homes consuming around 6% of the total energy usage. Even though this is a small portion of your electric bill it can still be worth finding ways to reduce our consumption.
There have been technology breakthroughs that have made some types of lights more efficient to use, but it is also as simple as turning the lights off in a room they are not being used.
Compact fluorescent bulbs are the hot topic in lighting for consumers. Even though these bulbs may be more expensive that incandescent bulbs, the payback is usually in a year or two depending on the amount of use they get. Be sure to view the Compact Fluorescent Lighting link in the Electric Products section to find out more about these efficient light bulbs.
Safety is also a concern with light bulbs. Never use a light bulb with a higher wattage than what the light fixture is rated at. For example, don’t use a 100 watt bulb if the fixture is rated for a 40 watt bulb. The additional heat created by the higher watt bulb could burn the fixture causing an electrical short. Be very careful if you have a halogen lamp. These bulbs can burn up to 1000 degrees and can be a serious fire threat if a flammable material gets too close, besides they are not an efficient lighting solution.
Here are some tips on how to save with lighting:
- Energy Star light fixtures use 1/3 the energy of traditional lighting.
- Energy Star light fixtures save money on energy bills and bulb replacements, with bulbs that last at least 10,000 hours
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs use at least 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, but provide the same amount of light and last up to 10 times longer.
- Use lower wattage bulbs where you don’t need as much light.
- Use dimmers when possible—they will set the mood and use less electricity at the same time. When buying compact fluorescent bulbs check the package to make sure they will work well with a dimmer switch.
- Make sure that you turn off the lights in a room if it is not in use.
- Look to lumens (not watts) for light. When selecting energy efficient light bulbs, use lumens, or light output, as the guide to getting the right bulb. Energy-efficient lighting will provide the same amount of light or more using fewer watts.
- Install occupancy sensors so lights go off automatically in unoccupied rooms.
