What to Look for in Energy Efficient Bulbs

Energy efficiency has become a very important issue in today's society because it directly affects a country's budget and the way that energy is used in the home. The energy usage for heating and cooling can have a direct affect on the amount of money a family receives in their monthly utility bill. Energy efficiency can also be directly linked to the health of a family. Living a healthy lifestyle can reduce both medical and health costs. There are many different ways families can save energy and money.

One way to save energy is to change out all the light bulbs in the house when they go out. This will allow you to save money on your energy bill each month because the bulbs will be new energy efficient models. It may be necessary to replace the light fixtures in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, hallways and anywhere else where there are traditional lights. Using CFL bulbs or an LED light bulb which uses less energy is an excellent example of energy efficiency in use. Replacing these older inefficient models with the more energy efficient and longer lasting LED lights will be a great step in reducing your home's energy usage.

The kitchen may not seem like it requires a lot of energy but it does because many items are used daily such as the coffee maker, dishwasher, toaster and microwave oven. All of these items will require electricity to run them. Cooking a meal will save you a lot of money over buying pre-cooked frozen foods at the grocery store.

Removing items from the kitchen that are not energy efficient will also have a big impact on your energy usage. Many families remove or replace dishwashers and ovens because they are not energy efficient. The energy consumption for washing and drying dishes can be much higher than for cooking a meal. In addition to removing the dishwashers and ovens from the home it would be wise to have them replaced with energy efficient appliances. This will save the family a lot of money each month on energy bills.

Another area that will need some attention is in the basement. This is one room that most people do not spend a lot of time in but it is one of the most energy-draining rooms in the house. Basements usually do not have heat or any source of air circulation. Replacing all the windows in the basement with energy efficient windows would not only be a good idea it would also save you a lot of money on your energy bill.

Reducing energy consumption is not difficult when there is a focus on energy efficiency in the home. Some families will do their part by replacing some of the light bulbs in their home with energy efficient ones. Other families can do their part by purchasing energy star compact fluorescent lights. There are kits available that can be used by almost anyone in a house to increase energy efficiency.