Home Improvement → Re: LED lightbulbs

I started by replacing high use lights with LEDs, and now been replacing bulbs as they burn out. I've noticed a pretty significant decrease in the electricity bill in the past year

Our energy usage jumps around depending on the time of year, so we went with a budget plan, pay set amount each month, and the last month is a catch up. First year, we over utilized, to the tune of $300. Ouch, that was a surprise bill! This past year, we actually got a check BACK on the last month for about $60 (instead of a bill for $210). Imagine my surprise getting money back from the utility company.

Not saying it's all attributed to the LED bulbs, but I do think a lot of it was (and also awareness). Last time I totalled it, we swapped 1200 watts worth of bulbs for about 200 watts worth of LEDs. No complaint's from anyone... Well, the Mrs didn't like the price of the bulbs, but at this rate, I do suspect we'll see a break even point a lot sooner than we thought.

The difference, if they were all switched ON, is a 1000watt heater! Maybe that's OK in the wintertime, but in summer it adds to the air conditioning load i.e. incandescent lamps' wattage translates directly to heat, which your A/C system works to remove.

I have a screensaver on my desktop right now showing NYC at dusk, with all the commercial buildings' lights on. Not many people realize that the second-greatest heat generator in a commercial office building (the first being the occupants themselves) is the lighting system. Well OK nowadays offices have lotsa computers also, but still...lights are a tremendous source of heat!

Doesn't apply as critically at home, but is something to keep in mind.

the biggest heat source in a commercial building are the windows

At night?

By the same token, the people at night?