How to Make Your Home Lighting System More Energy Efficient
An efficient type of lighting system can provide the same level of illumination at a fraction of the energy requirement and cost. According to the website of the United States Department of Energy, if you simply replace fifteen incandescent bulbs in your home with energy-efficient lighting choices, you can stave off around $50 every year from your electric bill. An incandescent bulb is cheap and works with dimming units, but it throws away a significant amount of energy by emitting it as heat.
Thus, the simple act of investing on energy-efficient bulbs can do a lot to trim your electric bill every month. But how do you know which type of lighting option goes with each room or corner of your home? What can you do to help the right lighting type maximize your energy savings? Here are practical tips to consider.
CFLs and LEDs Are Your Best Bets for Energy-Efficient Lighting
Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are affordable, and they consume 20 percent of the electricity used by their incandescent bulb counterparts. A CFL bulb also lasts 10 times longer than a similar incandescent bulb. The downside is the mercury content that gets freed in case the bulb breaks.
CFL bulbs that can be dimmed are also available. But take care when selecting them for dimming circuits, because the wrong bulb can ruin your dimming fixture and damage the bulb.
Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are far more long-lasting—up to 25 times the normal lifespan of a comparable incandescent bulb. They also consume only 33 percent of the energy requirements of similar CFL bulbs. The downside of resorting to LEDs for your home lighting system is the associated initial cost. The bulbs are expensive. However, you get a return on your investment after several months. This is due to the lower energy consumption and the remarkably long time it needs for the bulbs to outlive their usefulness.
Enclosed Lighting Fixtures and Reflectors Add Brightness
Enhance the amount of light given off by a single CFL or LED bulb by using a reflector or an enclosed light fixture that protects the bulb while adding to the brightness level. This eliminates the need to add more light bulbs to sufficiently illuminate a room in your home.
An enclosed light fixture also retains a portion of the heat emitted by the bulb. That heat aids the bulb in achieving its full brightness.
Resort to Task Lighting and Clean Bulbs and Light Fixtures
To focus light only on living spaces where they are needed is an excellent energy-saving tip. Casting ambient light over large areas and rooms is impractical and wasteful. The full-on ambient light may not be needed over those places. Instead, resort to strategic lighting with energy-efficient bulbs. For example, stick to under-cabinet bulbs to illuminate your bathroom vanity or your kitchen countertop.
Remember to regularly keep bulbs and light fixtures clean to maximize brightness. Nothing dulls a lighting source than dust accumulating on the bulb's surface.
It is not difficult to save money and still enjoy the lighting comforts you've grown accustomed to inside your home. All it takes is a little effort coupled with decisiveness to invest on long-running and more efficient light bulbs.
Thus, the simple act of investing on energy-efficient bulbs can do a lot to trim your electric bill every month. But how do you know which type of lighting option goes with each room or corner of your home? What can you do to help the right lighting type maximize your energy savings? Here are practical tips to consider.
CFLs and LEDs Are Your Best Bets for Energy-Efficient Lighting
Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are affordable, and they consume 20 percent of the electricity used by their incandescent bulb counterparts. A CFL bulb also lasts 10 times longer than a similar incandescent bulb. The downside is the mercury content that gets freed in case the bulb breaks.
CFL bulbs that can be dimmed are also available. But take care when selecting them for dimming circuits, because the wrong bulb can ruin your dimming fixture and damage the bulb.
Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are far more long-lasting—up to 25 times the normal lifespan of a comparable incandescent bulb. They also consume only 33 percent of the energy requirements of similar CFL bulbs. The downside of resorting to LEDs for your home lighting system is the associated initial cost. The bulbs are expensive. However, you get a return on your investment after several months. This is due to the lower energy consumption and the remarkably long time it needs for the bulbs to outlive their usefulness.
Enclosed Lighting Fixtures and Reflectors Add Brightness
Enhance the amount of light given off by a single CFL or LED bulb by using a reflector or an enclosed light fixture that protects the bulb while adding to the brightness level. This eliminates the need to add more light bulbs to sufficiently illuminate a room in your home.
An enclosed light fixture also retains a portion of the heat emitted by the bulb. That heat aids the bulb in achieving its full brightness.
Resort to Task Lighting and Clean Bulbs and Light Fixtures
To focus light only on living spaces where they are needed is an excellent energy-saving tip. Casting ambient light over large areas and rooms is impractical and wasteful. The full-on ambient light may not be needed over those places. Instead, resort to strategic lighting with energy-efficient bulbs. For example, stick to under-cabinet bulbs to illuminate your bathroom vanity or your kitchen countertop.
Remember to regularly keep bulbs and light fixtures clean to maximize brightness. Nothing dulls a lighting source than dust accumulating on the bulb's surface.
It is not difficult to save money and still enjoy the lighting comforts you've grown accustomed to inside your home. All it takes is a little effort coupled with decisiveness to invest on long-running and more efficient light bulbs.