Your home’s lighting typically accounts for about 12.5% of your household’s energy consumption. As such, taking effective measures to save on lighting can make your Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, home significantly more energy-efficient. Below are five ways to reduce your lighting costs.

Reduce Your Wattage

An over-lit room not only causes distraction and makes you feel uncomfortable, but also leads to unnecessary energy waste. If you don’t need to use a high-wattage light in a certain room, you can save energy by replacing it with a low-wattage bulb. When you’re shopping for new lights, choose those with wattage levels that match the specific purposes of your room or atmosphere you wish to enjoy. CFL or LED bulbs are recommended, which are significantly more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.

Avoid Multiple Fittings

Some homeowners think that they can reduce their energy consumption by replacing a single incandescent light with multiple lights that use low-wattage bulbs. However, this isn’t true. Basically, the more lights you use, the more energy you consume.

Use Multiple Switches

When installing lighting in a large space, it’s a good idea to install multiple switches to illuminate different areas within that space. This way, you can restrict your lighting use to a smaller area, which can reduce energy waste.

Install Dimmer Switches

Dimmer switches can be beneficial in many ways. Besides allowing you to fine-tune the amount of light used for different situations, these switches can also help you save on energy consumption and extend the lifespans of low voltage lights such as halogen downlights. When you buy new light bulbs, be sure to check that they work with dimmer switches.

Use Lamps

A lamp gives you an adequate amount of illumination without using as much energy as an overhead light. Lamps also enhance the ambience of a room and provide focused light for tasks such as reading and sewing.

If you’re looking for a reputable company that offers top-quality lighting installation or an upgrade of electrical services, feel free to speak with our friendly and helpful staff at Mister Sparky® of Charleston. Call us today.