Energy-Wise Lighting in Your Home
Call it the new reality: to minimize expenses and our impact on the planet, homeowners everywhere are looking for opportunities to reduce their home energy consumption. With so many energy-saving options now available, it’s easy to decrease your electricity usage to save green and go green.
There are basically two ways to reduce lighting energy consumption: limit the amount of time the light stays on and/or reduce the amount of electricity consumed by the lighting source. Here are just a few of the latest lamps and technologies designed to do just that (and – to be clear – “lamp” is the term used in the lighting industry to describe what is commonly called a “bulb”):
- Fluorescent Lamps. Once reserved for commercial or institutional settings, this is one lighting source that’s come a long way, offering appealing color rendering for the home and super energy-efficiency. CFLs (compact fluorescent bulbs) use 75% less energy than their incandescent counterparts.
- Dimmers. Installing dimmers is an easy and effective way to cut down your electricity bill. Dimming your lights by 25% results in nearly the same reduction in energy use. Automatic dimmers are also available to consistently lower a light’s output for instant energy savings, making it even more convenient to conserve.
- Lighting Controls. Along with dimmers, photocells, which turn lights on and off according to natural light levels, and occupancy sensors, which sense when someone enters or leaves a room, can be helpful in cutting back on the energy used to keep your home aglow.
And, it’s worth mentioning, one of the best ways you can reduce your home electricity usage is to shut off unnecessary lighting sources. Get your entire family on-board and you’re sure to see your efforts pay off.
For more information please feel free to contact a showroom associate at any one of our locations.