Looking for an fast way to cut your energy bill? Improve your lighting.
According to the Department of Energy, an average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used.
Use energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. CFLs are much more efficient than incandescent (standard) bulbs and last about 4 to 10 times longer.
Today's CFLs offer brightness and color rendition that is comparable to incandescent lights. Although CFLs cost more than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime. CFL fixtures are now available that feature dimmers and operate much like incandescent fixtures.
Here's 6 Ways to save money when lighting your home:
- Look for the ENERGY STAR label when purchasing these products.
- Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
- Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary.
- Consider using 4-watt minifluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. The luminescent lights are cool to the touch.
- Use CFLs in all the portable table and floor lamps in your home. Consider carefully the size and fit of these systems when you select them. Some home fixtures may not accommodate some of the larger CFLs.
- Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.
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