We’re all looking for ways to save money wherever we can and one of the best places to begin is right in your own home. By making it more energy efficient, not only can you increase your home comfort, but also significantly reduce your energy bills and add to its value. And a good starting point is with light – energy efficient light that is!
Is There Such a Thing as “Energy Efficient Light”?
There is and you’d be amazed at how much money you could save by simply changing the type of light bulb you use.
TIP: Replace your regular 60 watt incandescent bulbs with 13 watt CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) and you’ll still get the same amount of light but pay for 13 watts of energy usage per bulb instead of 60. That’s a potential savings of up to 78% or roughly $30 over the life of every single bulb you replace!
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) (Energy Efficient Light Bulbs) are becoming increasingly popular as the energy efficient light bulb of choice. Why? Because CFLs:
- Use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs
- Pay for themselves in 6 months
- Last 10 times longer than incandescent ones
- Generate 70% less heat than incandescent bulbs
Choosing the Right CFL Bulb
Just like normal light bulbs, CFL versions come in different wattages. Therefore, in order to get the same amount of light as you would from a normal bulb, you need to be familiar with CFL wattage scales. For example, you should replace your traditional 60 watt bulbs with 15 watt CFLs, because CFLs typically use about one-quarter of the wattage used by standard bulbs to produce the same amount of light.
TIP: Check the lumen rating on light bulbs you are replacing and buy CFLs that have the same lumen rating. A lumen rating is the measure of light that a bulb puts out.
What’s the Difference Between a CFL and an Incandescent Light Bulb?
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) use argon tubes that produce ultraviolet light, which in turn, activates a phosphorous coating on the inside of the tube that creates visible, energy efficient light. Incandescent light bulbs on the other hand, use energy straight from the power line to heat a filament, which produces visible light.
When you opt for an energy efficient light system, not only are you reducing your carbon footprint – which is good for the environment – but also cutting down on your electricity bills – which is good for you!
DID YOU KNOW that according to GE, if every house in America switched just 1 old 60 watt light bulb for a new 13 watt CFL bulb, it would result in:
- A combined national total savings of $600 million a year in energy costs
- Enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year
- Prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars