During the winter, we all find ourselves using more energy. The days are shorter and colder, so we turn on the lights and heating to compensate. Of course, we can’t be expected to sit in the cold and dark just to save energy. There are lots of ways you can stay warm while still saving some energy, but what about the lights? It’s easy to put on a jumper instead of turning the heating on, but it’s not so easy to squint in the dark for a bit longer before you turn the light on. We all need to see what we’re doing, so we need to find ways of saving energy and money on lighting without imposing a blackout on our homes. Luckily, there are several ways you can stop your lighting causing your energy bill to skyrocket.
Dimmer Switches
You don’t want to sit in the dark in the mornings and evenings, but you don’t have to make everything as bright as possible either. A lower light is suitable for doing lots of things, including eating meals and watching television. Plus, a harsh, bright light isn’t very nice when you get up in the morning. You can install dimmer switches in your home so you can adjust the lighting level to a suitable one for your needs.
Energy-efficient Light
Once upon a time, energy-efficient lights weren’t very good. They took a long time to come on, and when they did they weren’t very bright. That’s all changed now, and it’s easy to replace all the light bulbs in your home with green alternatives. If you use a light bulb for more than half an hour a day, it’s economical to replace it with an energy-saving bulb. Look at LED and CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs from http://wattlite.co.uk/ and similar suppliers. You’ll find a range of lights that look great and save you money.
Turn It Off
It may seem like a no-brainer, but turning off lights when you don’t need them is one of the best ways of saving energy. If you’re not in the room for long periods of time, there’s no need to have the light on. Don’t flick lights on and off every time you walk in or out of the room, but don’t leave them on when they aren’t necessary either.
Avoid Christmas Lights
Everyone wants to make their home look good for Christmas, but try not to go overboard with Christmas lights. If you want to hand them outside, use solar powered lights that will charge during the day. You can also use battery-powered lights. If you want to have lights that plug in, try to limit yourself and look for ones that use LED lights.
Candles
It may seem a little old-fashioned, but lighting up a room with candles is more energy-efficient that turning all the lights on. Candles can provide a surprising amount of light and heat, and they can smell great too. Instead of decorating with electric lights, get the candles out.
