Article4 min read
How to save energy with lighting
Everybody knows to turn the lights off when you leave a room. But when it comes to lighting tips, there’s plenty more bright ideas to try.
Quick tip
Use natural light instead of artificial light when you can
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When the sun's out, a single south-facing window can illuminate an area 20 to 100 times its size. And for each 60-watt bulb you turn off for four hours a day, you can save $9 over the course of a year.
Quick tip
Use task lighting and save
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Turn off ceiling lights and use table lamps, track lighting and under-counter lights in work and hobby areas as well as in kitchens. You could save up to $6 a year when you focus your lighting to your task.
True or False
The average home has 40 light bulbs.
True! On average, homes have 40 light bulbs.
Shine a light on your usage
Curious about lighting costs? Turn all the lights on for an hour while you read or relax, then switch them off. Log in to MyHydro the next day to spot the difference in your usage.
Quick tip
On at dusk, off at dawn
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Still manually turning your exterior lights on and off? Go automatic by installing photocell sensors that turn lights on when it gets dark and off when it's light. They're a durable, weatherproof and affordable add-on that will save you excess effort and electricity.
Quick tip
Rest easy with a nightlight
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Do you leave a nightlight on for the kids? Consider an LED nightlight that will use 75% less energy and can last up to 15 years.
Quick tip
How many light bulbs in your home could use a boost?
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The average home has about 35-40 light bulb sockets, and in most homes, more than 50% of these still contain inefficient lighting. Take stock of the lights in your home and work to replace them with ENERGY STAR® LEDs to save on your electricity bill.
Quick tip
Lead the way with LED exterior lighting systems
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Replace older outdoor incandescent or mercury vapour lamps with LED luminaries that provide similar light output while helping you save energy.
Quick Q
How much money could you save by replacing an incandescent light bulb with a LED bulb?
By replacing an incandescent light bulb with an LED bulb you could save up to $100 over its lifetime.
Quick tip
Predict the future of your next bill
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Log in to MyHydro to review your current billing period and forecast your electricity costs. You can see your consumption (as of the previous day) by month, week, day or even hour, and see the forecasted electricity costs based on your usage to date.