Energy experts remind customers to be conscious of lighting usage
With lighting accounting for 20 percent of electric bills, Pacific Power is encouraging customers to be wattsmart this winter and trim lighting usage during the longer winter nights.
“With most people getting home from work when it’s dark, energy used for lighting is responsible for a large portion of winter electric bills,” said Angela Jacobson of Pacific Power. “By following four simple steps customers can see extra savings before the holidays.”
The easy-to-follow tips from Pacific Power include:
- Use CFLs. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs use one quarter the energy and last longer than traditional light bulbs and come in a variety of colors.
- Turn off the lights. Get in the habit of turning off the lights when leaving a room for more than a few minutes.
- Install dimmers. The amount you dim lights equals your energy saving – for example dimming lights by 15 percent reduces energy consumption by about 15 percent.
- Clean the lights! Dirt sticks to light bulbs and fixtures and can reduce light output by as much at 10 percent.
- Use energy-efficient holiday lights. LEDs use as much as 80 percent less electricity than conventional incandescent mini lights and last up to 10 times longer. ENERGY STAR® qualified lights carry a three-year warranty and are independently tested to meet electrical requirements.
- Donate your old inefficient holiday lights to Goodwill. Whether the lights are functional or not, the agency will recycle the inner wiring.
“Pacific Power customers can also get a free Energy Saver Kit from Energy Trust of Oregon that includes four CFLs,” said Jacobson. “Using the products in the kit is a great way to start saving right away.”
Order a free Energy Saver Kit and more wattsmart ideas at bewattsmart.com.
