Money-Saving Tips: Energy-Efficient Lighting

In our last money-saving tips blog, we discussed the cost-saving potential and environmental credentials of energy-efficient shower heads.

In this article, we look at another household product that can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your bills: energy-efficient lighting.

In the UK, lighting makes up around 17% of the average household’s electricity consumption -improving efficiency can therefore make a massive difference to overall energy usage.

Technological Development

When asked to think of a light bulb, most of us will create the image of a traditional lightbulb, with a small piece of filament in the centre. Thomas Edison is credited for coming up with the design, known as incandescent light bulbs, all the way back in 1878! Although the field of electrical lighting has significantly advanced since then, the major problem with incandescent bulbs is that they only convert 5% of the energy they consume into light. Adding to this inherent inefficiency is the fact that the filament degrades rapidly and can’t be replaced.

It was over 70 years until the next big innovation in lighting came about, the halogen light bulb. Halogen bulbs also use filament technology but run at a higher temperature creating more light than incandescent bulbs.

Then there was Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFLs for short. This was the initial energy-efficient light bulb using 65% less electricity and lasting 10x longer than a typical halogen bulb.

And onto the most recent development: the Light Emitting Diode or LED, the most efficient light bulb available today. LEDs are now available for any light fitting and are not only more efficient than CFLs, but they are also brighter.

Legislation has been used to gradually phase out inefficient light bulbs with the manufacturing of halogen light bulbs being banned in 2018 and now the UK Government plans to ban sales completely by 2023.

Enter The Future: Reduce Your Energy Bill

Modern LEDs consume up to 40% less energy than CFLs, produce just as bright a light whilst also being omnidirectional – which simply means they can light a wider area.

Replacing older light bulls with LEDs usually doesn’t require a big upfront investment in terms of the cost compared to CFLs and updating fittings. The major savings are made over the long term, through the reduction of energy consumption. Furthermore, LEDs have been shown to last for over 25,000 hours of use, three times the longevity of CFLs.

Hassle-Free Property Maintenance

If you’ve got any burning questions on lighting your home, or anything electrical for that matter, our friendly team would be happy to help. A member of the team at HQ will put you in touch with one of our qualified electricians, operating in your area, who certainly will be able to help.

Get in touch on 0330 912 2323 or request a quick quote for your custom job. Remember, if you can submit photos, and videos, we’re usually able to get your quote to you on the same day.