Surprise, it is!
We all have that one family member that always falls asleep with the light on. But how much does that one light really matter? The answer depends on your bulb!
Some Bulbs Are Better Than Others
- 60W Incandescent – These are the original light bulb, and have thin wire filaments. As the least efficient of the bunch, 60W incandescent bulbs consume 0.06 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each hour. This means if you leave this lightbulb on for 500 hours, it consumes 30 kWh of electricity. At $0.11 per kWh, this comes to $3.30.
- 43W Halogen – These bulbs have coiled filaments. Halogens use 25% less energy on average to produce the same amount of light. After 500 hours in use, one bulb would set you back about $2.35.
- 15W Compact Fluorescent Light – Fluorescents have opaque or frosted glass and are 50% more efficient than Halogen bulbs. One CFL costs about 80 cents for 500 hours.
- 12W LED – LEDs can be recognized by their rows of rounded diodes. The most efficient of all, an LED costs only 65 cents if you leave it on for 500 hours.
So as you can see, leaving one extra lightbulb on for a measly 12 hours will not break the bank. But the average American home has 40 light bulbs, and if you live in a single family home you likely have upwards of 80! Over time, this can really add up.
So keep those lights off when not in use! And to learn about more ways to save on your energy costs, contact M.R. Electricians at (301) 871-0477 (Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC), or (727) 422-0391 (Florida) and let us do the electrical work for you!
