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Lighting &
Appliances
Nearly 10 percent of your home’s energy costs
come from lighting and appliances can account for up
to 20% of your home’s energy consumption. When
buying appliances and lighting for the home, there
are two costs to consider. One obviously is the
purchase price of the equipment. The second is the
cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime,
and that cost can add up to a lot more than the
purchase price over the next 10 or 20 years.
Change out your incandescent light bulbs with
fluorescent light bulbs can save you up to 25
percent on your lighting costs. Fluorescent light
bulbs use less electricity, last up to 10 times
longer than incandescent bulbs. Although fluorescent
lights cost a bit more than incandescent bulbs, they
more than pay for themselves over their lifetime.
To further save on energy costs for your
appliances and lighting;
- Purchase appliances and lighting with the
Energy Star logo. Energy Star approved products help
save you money through their advanced construction
and design. To learn more about Energy Star
programs, you can visit their website at:
www.energystar.gov. Some may cost more up front, but
they will more than pay for themselves over the life
of the unit.
- Use lighting controls that reduce the amount of
time light are on.
- Turn off lights in rooms you are not using can.
- Use light where you need it instead of lighting
the entire room or open your blinds to allow
daylight into the room.
- For outdoor lighting, use those that convert
sunlight into electricity and install a motion
sensor for security lighting so they only turn on
when someone is present.
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