How you light your home plays a big factor in its ambiance, but it also burns a big hole in your monthly bill. The key to lighting your home is choosing the right bulbs for both your vision and wallet. The average home dedicates approximately five percent of its energy budget to lighting. Switching to energy-efficient lighting results in the same amount of light while cutting your energy bills. Replacing five of the most frequently used light bulbs with Energy Star-rated ones can save you $45 annually.
What’s in a lightbulb?
Several types of energy-efficient lighting solutions can save you money on your electric bill. Halogen incandescent lightbulbs contain a capsule that keeps gas around a filament to increase efficiency. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are curly tube fluorescent lights commonly found in kitchens and garages. CFLs pull a quarter less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last ten times longer while putting out the same amount of light.
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are a type of solid-state lighting that’s considered one of the most energy-efficient options. They use a quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. LEDs come in a variety of colors for both indoor and outdoor lighting, such as recessed fixtures, desk lamps, under cabinet lighting, pathway lights, and porch lights.
Utility companies provide the electricity, gas, and water that homes need to function. Your monthly utility bills may also include council rates, telecommunications services, and additional taxes or levies for your utilities based on your zip code. Before switching energy providers, be sure to read the fine print of your current energy plan, and see if there is an early termination fee. You also need to take a close look at your electric rate per kilowatt-hour, whether you are signed up for a variable rate, and whether you get a discount for making on-time payments.
The best way to get a lower rate is to compare electricity providers with iSelect.com.au. You can compare electric plans from a range of electric providers in your service area. Simply share your zip code and the type of energy plan your household needs, and an expert will help you find cheap electricity rates that will lower the cost of your average bill.
Install dimmer switches.
The amount of electricity a burning light bulb consumes is called wattage. You can use a dimmer switch to lower the wattage and manage electricity use. Adjusting the wattage affects the amount of illumination produced. The energy savings of dimmer switches depends on how often and how long lights are dimmed as well as the type of lightbulb. You’ll see the most money savings using a dimmer in high-wattage rooms like the bathroom, kitchen, and dining room.
When the holiday season comes around, all the string lights around the Christmas tree and outdoor Christmas lights illuminating your yard can get expensive. Christmas Designers is an eCommerce retailer of professional-grade LED Christmas lights and decorations for residential and commercial designs. They offer a wide range of electric lights and decorations that can be used for year-round illumination. Their high-quality lighting products are affordable, durable, and environmentally-friendly. From net lights and rope lights to mini lights and LED candles, the online retailer has what you need to bring the season alive.
Turn the lights out.
You were probably taught as a child to turn the lights out when you are the last one to leave a room. While you can save money on your electricity bill by turning the lights out, it’s not always efficient for your lights. A bulb’s operating life is shortened every time the lights go on and off. This means all the money you save on your monthly bill goes toward buying replacement lights. It still makes the most sense to turn off the lights when you don’t need them. Your air conditioning will work less to cool your home in the summer when you only use the necessary lighting.
You can control the costs of lighting your home by switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs, installing dimmer switches, and turning out the lights.
