Major home energy use comes from temperature-related operations such as heating and cooling your food, water and home. The rest of the usage is consumed by electric lighting and appliances.
In addition to changing your habits, there are all sorts of gadgets and appliances that can help you reduce the amount of energy you consume. New technology has improved the efficiency of these appliances, so they work just as well as older models, but use less than half the amount of electricity.
Energy-efficient light bulbs provide the same amount of illumination as incandescent bulbs, but only consume between one fifth to one third as much electricity. These bulbs also last up to ten times longer than conventional bulbs.
These bulbs are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and fit into conventional fixtures, so you can use them for all of your lighting needs.
Solar powered lights – these come in a variety of styles and be used indoors or outdoors. The outdoor versions are different than the indoor versions, but both types work great. A full day of sunlight charges these lights up enough to run until morning. This means that even on cloudy days, the lights gather enough sun energy to light up your yard or home until at least midnight, which is usually more than enough for the average household. Some small lights, like night lights, can be powered by just about any light, so they don’t have to be put out in the sun during the day.
There are two main types of energy-saving lighting controls. Each one uses a passive infrared (PIR) sensor for automatic operation. The Occupancy Sensor control turns the light off when a person leaves the room and on when someone enters. The Vacancy Sensor control turns the light off when the room is empty. Both types of controls save electricity by making sure lights aren’t left on in rooms no one is using. If you can’t get into the habit of turning off lights you aren’t using, these controls can be big help. They are also very useful for rooms with the switch on the wrong end – you won’t have to walk through a dark room to turn on the light, it will come on automatically as soon as you enter.
Go from Home Energy Saving Devices to the Learn Electrical menu
Ask An Electrician
Do you want to know more about this electrical topic? Whether it's going over what Electrician Tools you need or discussing the importance of Electrician Safety write to me for free Electrician Advice and I'll answer! To return to the Electrician Information Resource homepage, click here.