Keep More Lighting Energy Dollars in Your Pocket

Do you know where your energy dollars go each month? Most people don't. It's like shopping in a store where prices aren't marked. You know it is expensive to heat your home in winter, but you may not realize that you could be wasting energy for lighting your home each year.

Here are a few tips to help you conserve energy and keep more dollars in your pockets.

Lighting Tips
The money you spend on light bulbs is only 5 to 10 percent of the total cost of lighting; the other 90 to 95 percent is the cost of electricity.

  • Try motion sensors that turn lights off automatically when everyone leaves a room. Timers that automatically turn lights on and off can reduce your energy use increase safety by making a house appear occupied even when people are away.
  • Keep fixtures and bulbs clean. Dirt can absorb as much as 50 percent of a bulb's light output.
  • Use one bulb instead of multiple bulbs whenever possible. A single 100-watt incandescent bulb produces the same amount of light as two 60-watt bulbs and it uses 20 percent less energy.
  • Long-life incandescent bulbs last two to three times longer than a standard bulb. Compact fluorescent lamps last up to ten times longer. Light colored walls and surfaces reflect light while dark colors absorb light. The same light fixture in two different rooms will provide different levels of light on a reading surface.
  • Translucent lampshades provide more light than solid colored shades. Use dimmers or three-way incandescent bulbs to control the amount of light you need in a room. Dimming the lights to half the illumination cuts energy consumption almost in half.
  • Turn off lights when nobody is home. Use a timer to ensure you don't forget.
  • Use daylight whenever possible, rather than turning on redundant overhead lighting.

     

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    Last updated: 12/2009
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