Most people want to be more energy efficient, especially as utility rates continue rising. When you’re looking for the best way to slash your monthly bills, you may think about how much you use your dryer or how you use your HVAC system. However, your lights might be the secret to cutting those electric bills. Problems with your lighting aren’t all that hard to address, and resolving them starts with understanding why your light bill is higher than it should be.
You Have Old Bulbs
Lots of houses still rely on old, incandescent bulbs that used to be the standard for residential lighting. But times have changed, and LED bulbs are a lot more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. In most cases, you don’t have to do anything to the light fixture itself to start using LED bulbs. You just change the kind of bulb that you buy the next time you go to the store.
You Leave the Lights On
OK, everyone has done this at some point. You walk out of a room and have other things on your mind, so you forget to flip the switch. Unfortunately, that little mistake can lead to big increases in how much you spend for electricity each month.
Forgetting to turn off the lights in one room for a couple of hours might not make a big difference, but multiple lights left on day after day can mean significantly higher electric costs. Get into the habit of turning off the lights every time you leave a room, and the savings could add up over the course of a year.
You Don’t Have Dimmer Switches
Depending on the age of your home and the light fixtures in it, you may have only light switches. When that’s the case, your only options are to keep your lights off or to turn them on as bright as they’ll burn.
Dimmer switches give you more control over how bright the lights are in different rooms of your house. You might want to turn your bedroom lights all the way up when you’re getting ready each morning, but a dimmer, softer light might be a good idea when you’re trying to unwind and go to bed. This level of control can make your home more comfortable and help you reduce your energy bills.
Some of the secrets for cutting your energy bills involve changing your lighting habits. Whether it’s the kind of bulbs you buy or making sure that you turn off lights when they’re not in use, small changes can make a big difference. If you live in Boise, ID or a surrounding area and need lighting services, make your first call to Sublime Electric.