Underground Journal

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs in Outdoor Lighting

One of the many ways that you can save money on your power bill month to month is by switching to more energy efficient lighting methods and fixtures.  This is true for both your interior and exterior light fixtures.  By switching from incandescent light bulbs to more advanced, energy-efficient ones, you can save a significant amount of money each year.  You have two main options for switching out your old incandescent light bulbs, compact florescent lights and LED lights.

While they are the option of choice indoors, outdoor fluorescent lighting has many problems associated with it.  They tend to be very sensitive to the cold and will most likely have trouble starting and shining at full brightness in cold weather.  If you’re in a warm climate, this won’t be a problem, but if you’re in a cold climate check the packaging before you install the light to see what temperatures its rated to.

One way to get around this is to place the lamps in a sealed fixture.  This keeps them warmer and also keeps the lamps from breaking, which can cause dangerous mercury to leak on your property.

You other option for energy-efficient outdoor lighting are LED light fixtures.  LED lights are a bit more expensive than CFL light bulbs, but they last up to seven times longer and use a tiny fraction of the power, netting you more power savings.  On top of this, they can work no matter how cold it is and have no dangerous chemicals inside of them.  LEDs are even beginning to come in several different colors and shades so you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of light for energy efficiency.  LEDs are a major component in most new solar lights because they maximize the amount of light you can get from a battery.

If you want more information on installing energy efficient garden lighting, visit the Garden Lights Guru.

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