Smart lighting tips to help you save

Are you looking for ways to cut down on the amount of power you use at home? If so, here are some tips that will allow you to more efficiently light your home.

USE THE POWER OF REFLECTION

Choose light colours for the walls. White reflects up to 80 per cent of the light in a room, while black only reflects 10 per cent. This means that lighter rooms need less lighting to illuminate them than darker ones.

Another trick is to place your table and standing lamps in corners so that the light reflects off two walls at once.

USE THE BARE MINIMUM

Choose lightbulbs that are just powerful enough for the activities you plan to do in a given area. A needlessly powerful light will waste energy.

Avoid linking more than one light to a single switch and install dimmers to control the intensity of each fixture. It’s also a good idea to equip outside lights with motion detectors or timers.

Finally, turn off every light when going to bed, leaving a room or heading out.

USE ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTBULBS

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and light-emitting diodes (LED) use less energy than standard halogen lights (respectively 75 and 90 per cent less). They also last a lot longer.

When buying bulbs, make sure to look for the best lumen-to-watt ratio. A better ratio means that the bulb will provide more light while using less energy.

Outside, opt for solar-powered lamps. The LED light bulbs on them will run for up to 100,000 hours, but once they burn out, they can’t be replaced.

CHOOSE YOUR FIXTURES WISELY

When selecting light fixtures, remember that transparent and light-coloured lampshades let more light through than dark ones. In addition, pivoting lamps allow you to effectively target the light cast.

CLEAN YOUR LIGHT FIXTURES

A buildup of dust and dirt can dull the intensity of your indoor lighting. To ensure that the maximum amount of light possible gets emitted from each lamp, keep your fixtures, bulbs and shades clean.

If you follow these tips, you’ll more efficiently light your home and therefore save on your energy bill.