Indoor Lighting Tips
Energy Saving Tips for Your Indoor Lighting
One of the quickest ways to lower your energy bill is to make improvements to your lighting. The average household uses 11% of its energy budget on lighting, but with the right tools you can reduce the amount of energy you use for lighting by 50% to 75%.
For indoor lighting use linear fluorescent tubes and energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). Fluorescent lamps are much more energy efficient than standard bulbs, last 6-12 times longer and provide high quality, high efficiency lighting. And by making the switch you’ll save money and energy. CFLs offer brightness and color that is comparable to incandescent (regular) bulbs. The price of fluorescent bulbs is slightly higher than a standard bulb; however, over their lifetime they are cheaper because they use far less energy. They also make CFL fixtures that are compatible with dimmers, just like a standard bulb.
CFLs can save you about $30.00 in electricity over the lifetime of each bulb. CFLs produce about 75% less heat, are safer to operate and can reduce your home cooling costs. You can use CFLs in your family room, living room, bedrooms and kitchen. They can even be used outdoors.
In addition to changing your bulbs you can reduce your spend of energy and lower your bills in other ways. When remodeling, look for recessed down lights (or cans) that are rated for contact with insulation (IC rated). Utilize controls like timers and photo cells that save electricity by turning lights off when not in use. Dimmers save electricity because they use lower light levels. Make sure you select products that are CFL compatible, because all products are not. Utilize daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to let the daylight in. These curtains will allow for privacy while letting in the sun light.
Lowering your energy bill is really easier than you think and it takes very little time to implement the changes needed.
Many people think that outdoor lighting has to be expensive because it has to look nice… not true. There are a variety of energy efficient lighting options to choose from. Low-voltage lighting, motion detector lighting and light emitting diodes (LEDs) are all great energy saving options. LEDs thrive outdoors because they are durable and perform well in cold weather. LEDs offer better light quality than regular bulbs (incandescent bulbs) and last up to 25 times as long.
1. Caulk and weatherstrip around your windows and doors. This will stop air from leaking in and your heat and air from escaping. If you have gaps around your windows and doors you are basically paying to heat or cool your neighborhood. Weather stripping is not expensive and you can find the materials you need at any local hardware store.
Green energy is the term used to describe sources of energy that are considered to be environmentally friendly and non-polluting, such as geothermal, wind, solar, and hydro. Green energy sources are often considered “green” because they are perceived to lower carbon emissions and create less pollution.
Sustainable energy is the provision of energy such that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. A broader interpretation may allow inclusion of fossil fuels as transitional sources while technology develops, as long as new sources are developed for future generations to use. A narrower interpretation includes only energy sources which are not expected to be depleted in a time frame relevant to the human race, which can potentially also include nuclear power if it is utilized differently from the current manner.
