Energy Efficient Home Lighting
If you’re looking for ways to reduce your home’s energy consumption (and your monthly utility bill), we’ve got some tips for you!
A great way to reduce your home’s energy consumption comes from one of the most used fixtures in your home…the lighting! Makes sense, right? Did you know lighting accounts for about 15% of the total residential energy consumption in the U.S, and about 23% of the commercial consumption? An easy switch you can do as a homeowner is switching to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs or CFLs. The EPA estimates that the average CFL will pay for itself in about 6 months. Another great trait of CFLs is they can be the best solution to a room that seems to have “too little light.” If you think you’re not getting enough light out of your traditional 60 watt lighting fixture, try switching to a 23 watt CFL! This will give you the output of about 100 watts in light output, while also not exceeding the maximum wattage of your fixture. Advancement in CFL lighting has come a long way since the hospital-esque, ghastly, “office” lighting that stole every bit of color from your room. Coming in many different shapes, colors, and brightness, you can be sure there is a CFL solution for you lighting needs.
Another great trait of CFLs is the reduced cost on the environment to produce the energy to light your fixtures. The U.S is the largest consumer of electricity, roughly 70% of that being generated by fossil fuels such as natural gas, petroleum and coal. That means choosing to reduce your home’s consumption of energy has a significant impact on the environment. Think of it like this: It only takes one CFL lightbulb in each American household to reduce and save energy consumption enough to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $700 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year. That’s equivalent to about the emissions of 800,000 motor vehicles.
However, it would be irresponsible to suggest CFLs without recognizing it’s downfalls. To put it simply, CFLs contain a small amount of mercury that can be toxic to both humans and animals. This mercury can be released into the air if a bulb is broken and not disposed of correctly. Mercury contained in landfills can be contracted by animals and spread to many difference sources of wildlife. It is best to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision about what fits best for you. Another great way to save on your monthly energy bills would be to make a switch to a higher-efficiency heating and cooling system. Modern HVAC systems are capable of converting about 97.3% of the fuel you pay for into heat for your home. Less waste, more comfort, lower energy costs. Interested? Get a free quote from us today! Call/text us at (217)281-1650 to schedule your free consultation, or book your appointment conveniently online here right on our website!
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