Light up the room with energy-efficient bulbs

A quick history of light bulbs

‍

Traditional incandescent light bulbs were invented over a century ago, and waste significant amounts of energy - only a very small percentage of the energy they consume is actually converted into light, while the rest is lost as heat. 

‍

Halogen light bulbs are slightly more efficient than traditional bulbs, but not enough to be sustainable, and as a result were banned in the UK in 2021. However, shops are still allowed to sell whatever stock they have left over, and you might still find you need a halogen light bulb to replace a burnt-out bulb in your oven. The halogen ban is projected to cut a huge 1.26m tonnes of carbon dioxide - that’s the equivalent of removing over half a million cars from UK roads.

‍

The first form of energy-efficient lighting came in the form of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which use around 70-80% less electricity than traditional bulbs and last for around 15,000 hours. But these have now been overwhelmingly replaced by LEDs, the most eco-friendly light bulbs on the market. LEDs are incredibly energy-efficient, last 50,000 hours - or over 10 years - and unlike CFLs, they don’t contain any toxic chemicals.

‍

How much can you save by switching to LED bulbs?

‍

LEDs are slightly more expensive than their halogen counterparts, though the gap is getting smaller all the time. What’s far more important is that LEDs will create significant savings over time - you’d see a reduction of around £60 a year on your energy bills if you swapped out every bulb in your house. Plus, you’ll need to replace these bulbs far less often, generating additional savings. On top of the extra money in your pocket, you’ll also have the benefit of reducing your home’s carbon emissions.

‍

Choosing an LED bulb 

‍

LEDs are incredibly versatile and can be used for any type of lighting, from outdoor lighting to spotlights to dimmer lights. Halogen bulbs are still common for floodlights and security lighting, but there’s no real reason why they should continue to be used over LEDs - which are durable and perform equally well in all weather conditions. 

‍

When shopping for LED light bulbs, be sure to pick one with the right lumen value. Where old light bulbs have their number of watts written on the box - which measure power consumption - we now have lumens, which measure how bright a light is. The higher the lumen, the brighter the light. To replace a 100 watt bulb, look for an LED bulb of around 1600 lumens. You can easily find LED replacements for 40W, 60W, 75W, and 100W bulbs.

‍

LED light bulbs also come in different colour options. You can choose between a softer, warm light to create a cosy atmosphere at home, and bright, cold light that’s more often used in environments like offices, shops and hospitals. 

‍

Going further with efficient lighting  

‍

Other ways to see savings on your electricity bill include turning off lights when you leave a room, only having one light on at a time, making the most of natural light by opening your curtains in the daytime, using timers or motion sensors, and installing dimmers so your lights aren’t always on at full power. 

‍

Heatio can help you achieve a more warm and comfortable home and cheaper energy bills with your own bespoke Heatio Energy Saving Plan. Book a call with our Energy Saving Expert to learn more about what further energy-efficient improvements you can make in your home.

‍

Looking for ways to save money on your energy bills? Heatio will help you through every step of the journey. Join Heatio and get ready to learn about your best path towards a sustainable and warmer home. 

‍