Seeing the Light

So, the Energy Star Home Energy Performance results told me that my home consumes more energy than most. What to do? Well, the performance report lists four steps under Take Action:

1. Replace your 5 most frequently used lights…with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR products.
3. Heat and cool efficiently.
4. Seal up your home.

I chose the simplest approach: start at the top of the list. I had a whopping two compact fluorescent bulbs, both replacing 60W incandescent, in my laundry room. These are not frequently used. I had chosen them because the CFL bulbs had three annoying characteristics. There was a couple of seconds delay between flipping the light switch and getting light, there was a warm up period during which the light gradually increased to full power, and the light itself was somewhat yellowish.

The bulbs were from GE.

I decided to start by getting a couple by another manufacturer, purchasing a package of Home Depot’s private label. Replacing the GE bulbs, I was pleasantly surprised to find these came on virtually instantaneously, warmed up more quickly, and were less yellow. I used the Home Depot bulbs for all three laundry room fixtures.

I decided to use the GE bulbs outside next to my front door. The fixtures are covered, so there was no moisture problem. I just hoped for the best in terms of the bulbs surviving the occasional single digit winter temperatures here in the Mid-Atlantic.

I was pleasantly surprised. The light from the bulbs, which looked yellowish inside, looked clear and bright outside at night. Because of that, I went to Target for some more GE CFLs to replace 40 W bulbs that line our outside walk. These are on a timer and turn on for 2-4 hours a night, depending on the time of year. Five bulbs at 40W a bulb at 4 hours is 800 watt-hours (0.8 kWh) a night. The CFLs reduced this to 11W or so a bulb, or 220 watt-hours a night.

OK, so I know I would conserve more energy by just leaving these lights off. After all, they are simply decorative most days of the year when no one is walking to the front door in the dark. Or maybe I could try solar lights, but I don’t think that will work because the area is well shaded 7 months of the year or so. I may give up these lights some day, but for now, I have cut the energy used to power them by almost a factor of 4, and I have beautiful bright light and extremely reliable bulbs.