Everybody seems to be trying to save more and more money these days.  Whether it’s trying to stay in for dinner more often, collecting coupons for the grocery store, finding discounts on everyday needs, or generally trying to consume less, saving money is on most households agendas.  One thing that we seem to hear about more often now is saving money on utilities every month.  We’ve all heard that changing your appliances to more efficient and updated units can greatly decrease your utilities bills.  For many however, finding the money to pay for updated appliances can be out of the question because of their initial cost.  There is another, less expensive way to cut your utility bill.  That of course is lighting your home.  Many people are skeptical though, as it can be hard to really know how much you save when changing your light bulbs to more efficient, updated ones.  Here are some of the facts behind changing your lighting to help you get a grasp on how much you actually will save.

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What type of bulb is the most energy efficient?

We have all grown up and are familiar with the incandescent light bulb.  The energy sucking bulb is now obsolete and even the government is taking steps to eliminate the bulb from American households.  We are more commonly hearing about CFL bulbs and LED lights.  Which ones better?  Energy star rated light bulbs are compared based on how much light a bulb emits based on how much energy it uses.  LED lights are the most energy efficient light bulb emitting 90 to 120 lumens per 1 watt of electricity.  Compare that to the CFL’s 40-70 lumens per one watt and it is obvious that the LED is the more efficient bulb.

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Is the Price worth it?

Although LED’s are more efficient, they are also more expensive than CFL’s and many claim that the light LED’s emit is not as comfortable as CFL’s.  If this is the case, than CFL’s will work just fine and will still save you an average of $5000-$8,000 in a ten year span.  CFL’s have a lifespan of roughly ten years so you should plan on replacing them after that span of time.  LED’s are going to be about double the price of a CFL bulb.  They are a better investment with time however, given that LED’s have a lifespan of 40 to 50 years.  And given the efficiency of an LED, in ten years you should expect to save $10,000-$15,000 in ten years, and after that ten years you won’t have to worry about changing your LED light bulbs.

Lighting is critical for any workplace. The advent of the electric light changed how we work and electric lighting still underpins all the basic business functions of any urban complex. Without light, you can’t work. No exceptions. This makes lighting a concern that applies to every business. Whether you run an office, a restaurant, a major department store or a tiny boutique, you will need to light it one way or another, and that is going to represent a percentage of your budget every year.

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Compact fluorescent bulbs have become the new industry standard, for the most part. They are very energy efficient and last a very long time. The human eye responds differently to light in different spectrums. The right frequency of light can therefore be supplied wit much less power and be just as effective as a more energy-hungry bulb in terms of effective light provided to the human eye. CFLs produce light in such a spectrum as to properly serve the human eye efficiently. However, CFLs are more expensive. While they last much longer, the initial investment will usually be higher for anyone looking into CFLs.

It is possible to buy CFLs online and save. You can acquire compact fluorescent lamps from GenesisLamp.com and other dedicated lighting outlets online. You need to cover shipping in this case, but it allows you to buy them in bulk at a lower cost in general. This makes the initial cost of CFLs much more attractive for anyone looking to stock a workplace for the future.