Lighting and general energy saving tips

Lighting

  • Turn off lights in areas not being used.
  • Open curtains in the morning, rather than turning on the light.
  • Paint rooms in light colours, as this aids reflection of available light.
  • Use desk or standard lamps where most light is needed, so less lighting is required in the rest of the room.
  • Clean lamps and fittings – over time, dirt build up reduces light output.
  • Use fluorescent tubes, they use a quarter of the electricity consumed by ordinary bulbs and last around eight times longer.
  • Light dimmers save you money and can extend the life of incandescent lamps.
  • For security lighting, install time, motion or light sensing switches.
  • If you have a skylight, ensure it has been installed properly with a diffuser at the bottom to ensure light is evenly spread.

General appliances

  • In winter, ensure electric blankets are turned off at the power point when not in use or during the day.
  • Consider using timers for aquarium lights and pumps, in order to cut down on energy consumption without affecting the health of the fish.
  • Ensure your computer's energy saving standby mode is turned on to reduce energy consumption while not in use for short periods of time.
  • TVs, DVD players, computers, stereos and game consoles still use energy in standby mode. When not in use, switch these appliances off at the wall.
  • Devices that require recharging will continue to draw power after charging. Turn the charger off at the power point and disconnect the appliance as soon as it is fully charged.

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