One of the best accents of any home is the lighting. Inside, it highlights the walls, brings life to dark corners and prevents countless midnight toe-stubbing accidents every year. Outside, it shows off your home's best features and gives light where you need it most (such as the walkways and back doors). Proper lighting, however, can sometimes cost more than you would like. With a subtle touch and a smart plan, you can use your home lighting to its maximum in both looks and efficiency and save money along the way. To help you get started, we've put together our top four home lighting efficiency tips.
- Inside, we recommend you replace at least five of your standard light bulbs with CFL, Energy Star-certified bulbs instead. Not only are they roughly five times more energy efficient, they can often last up to ten times longer.
- Outside, you should consider installing light timers and motion activated sensors. It's too much hassle to plug outdoor lights in and out every night and morning, but it's too much money to keep them on all the time. A simple timer or motion sensitive device can ensure your lights are on when they need to be and off when they don't.
- Decorative lighting can be tricky to get just right, but consider your approach. Lighting designer Randall Whitehead says, "Think of decorative lighting as architectural jewelry. It can dress up or dress down the look." Find a look that compliments the room but isn't overbearing.
- Lastly, you can ensure your home lighting is extra efficient by installing dimmers. Not only will dimmers let you set the mood, they also offer a great degree of control over how much electricity certain lights are using.
There is certainly more to a smart home lighting plan than these four tips, but it's a good place to start. Whether you're a first time or longtime homeowner, you can always contact us for more tips, advice and guidance with your home lighting plan.
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