Did you know that your lighting choices can actually save you money?
There are so many easy ways to save money on your electricity bill. As a side benefit, many of these also creates less of an impact on the environment. One way to use less energy and save money on your monthly energy bill is to make smart lighting choices. There have been so many advances in light bulbs and how much energy they require that, with the right ones, you can see a real drop in energy consumption, and the money you owe, on your monthly bill. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy states that by upgrading just 15 of the inefficient incandescent light bulbs in your home you could save about $50 a year.
What is the difference?
You might be wondering about the differences between the traditional incandescent light bulbs and the choices of energy-saving incandescent bulbs, CFL bulbs, and LED bulbs. The answer is efficiency. With the regular incandescent light bulbs, about 90% of the energy consumed is given off as heat, with only 10% being used for actual light. That is quite a bit of wasted energy that, if you are using those bulbs, is costing you money every month.
If you are considering switching to the more efficient, energy-saving incandescent bulbs, or halogens, you may be slightly disappointed. While these bulbs are more efficient than the traditional bulbs, they are only about 25% more efficient – though they do last about three times longer. They are built with a capsule inside that holds gas around a filament. This is what enables it to be a bit more efficient. We recommend, though, to switch to either LED or CFL bulbs to see a larger decrease in energy usage.
CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, are about 75% more efficient than regular incandescent bulbs. That is quite a big difference that you will see on your energy bill! CFLs are simply smaller versions of the typical fluorescent lights that you probably have, either in your kitchen, bathrooms, or garage. They are more expensive than the traditional bulb, but you will have made back your money in about nine months, and after that it is all savings. CFLs use about 1/4th of the energy and last ten times longer than the normal incandescent bulb.
LED bulbs are also a very wise choice. You can save up to 80% in energy consumption. LED lights are one of the most energy efficient and can last up to 25 times longer than the traditional incandescent bulb. LED bulbs are a little more expensive than regular bulbs, but as technology continues to advance, we can expect those prices to drop. No matter the price difference, the savings you will experience by using LED bulbs will make up for it.
We hope these tips will be useful to you when you decide to upgrade to more efficient lighting choices. For more information about Anchor Heating and Air Conditioning and the services we offer, please give us a call at 770-942-2873 or contact us on the web at www.anchorac.com. For more tips, join our online community on Facebook.
Online References:
https://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/lighting_daylighting/index.cfm/mytopic=11975