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This week’s tip is nothing new, but as daylight savings is nearing its end for 2022 and days are getting shorter in general, it’s a good reminder to revisit this simple tip: turn off all lights not in use. However, there are exceptions to this age-old rule.
You probably first heard this tip years ago when most homes were only using incandescent light bulbs. 90% of the energy used by incandescent lights bulbs is given off as heat and only 10% as light. So for those light bulbs, it makes sense to turn them off every time you leave the room.
Thankfully new technology has provided more efficient lighting options. With the help of states pushing for more efficient limits, a lot of incandescent light bulbs are completely off the market.
But with new technology comes new rules to follow. If you are using compact fluorescent bulbs, you can expect to save 75% more energy than incandescent bulbs and they will last 6 to 15 times longer. However, only turn them off if you are out of the room for more than 15 minutes. Why? Because the life of the compact fluorescent bulb is affected by the number of times they are turned on and off.
If you are using LED lighting, which is the most efficient option, you can expect to save 90% more energy than incandescent bulbs and they will last up to 22 times longer, which results in less waste as well. And since the lifetime is unaffected by turning them on or off, you can simply leave the room and turn off the lights.
To calculate how much you are saving by turning your light bulbs off, follow these steps:
- Find the watt rating on the light bulb. If it is 40 watts and you leave the light on for 1 hour, you will be using 0.04kWh.
- Find out how much you are paying per kWh per hour. This can be found on your electricity bill.
- This will help you determine how much you can save by turning your lights off for a certain amount of time.
Other energy saving lighting tips include using timers, dimmers and sensors in your home and discovering more ways to let Mother Nature light your home.
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