We are in an endless cycle of trying to reduce our living expenses and monthly outgoings. We are also becoming far more environmentally conscious and will do our best to achieve some harmony with the planet. We don’t seem to recognize that reducing our energy consumption has a direct impact on the environment, our contribution to this does play a significant role.
Change Your Light Bulbs
There are many very simple ways to reduce energy in the home, and when we take a detailed look at our consumption up to 15% of it is from lighting our home! As technology develops and producers try to align themselves more with the environment, there has been a surge of new types of light bulbs to hit the market.
When you decide to make the switch, be sure to choose the right type of replacement bulbs for your home, to match the current ambience. Remember these new type bulbs have the ability to produce more light than the current ranges. In some areas of the home ask yourself do you really need to have such a bright light, and adjust it accordingly.
Lowering the light output will, in turn, have a reduced energy consumption, so this is an added benefit, which we don’t often tend to consider these days!
Making the Switch
Any change can be expensive, so we suggest finding the right guidance from an expert. These can normally be found in your local DIY lighting store, where you will also be able to take advantage of buying in bulk.
This is an investment in your home, with the benefits being obvious after a few months, of the change. The upfront costs are slightly higher when compared to “normal” light bulbs, but the benefits are far greater than the price you will pay. Modern bulbs last a lot longer than traditional ones, and also produce more light per KW!
Other Energy Saving Ideas
Having considered changing the types of bulbs in your home, you may want to look at other energy saving ideas too. If you have multiple appliances in standby mode, why not connect them to a multi-point strip, with an independent on / off switch. When this group of appliances is not in use, simply press the switch on the strip and they are all turned off at once.
Unplug unused items that may be in your garage or store room. Simply removing these things from the sockets reduces your household energy consumption. If you leave your PC or laptop on, simply enable energy saving mode, or shut it down completely. After a while you will notice the effect on your electricity bill. This is also good for the environment.
Changing old appliances for new energy efficient versions, is an ideal way to immediately reduce power use in the home. These days all new technology comes with an efficiency sticker. Try to buy appliances with the highest ranking, to be sure to reduce your energy costs.
Turn off older appliances that don’t have energy saving modes (that new technology does). This simple change will help reduce your energy bills considerably. As you leave your comfortable arm chair or sofa at night, switch off those old power sucking appliances before you go to bed!