For the average American household, lighting accounts for 15 percent of the electricity bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But you can save $14 per year if you swap just one regular light bulb for a compact fluorescent light bulb. (Count how many you have and add up the savings.) These inexpensive and easy changes - recommended by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute - are smart ways to slash your electric costs.
You probably know that those twisty compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are more energy-efficient. In fact, ones that are Energy Star-qualified use about 75 percent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescents.
CFLs now even come in a covered style that resembles a regular bulb, so they don't look strange in certain fixtures and can hold a clamp-on lampshade. Manufacturers also have worked to reduce that hard blue cast typical of earlier fluorescent lights. CFLs do contain a small amount of mercury, so you should follow the EPA's directions for disposal and cleanup if one breaks (epa.gov/mercury/spills).
To find out which CFLs have the best light quality and brightness, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and consumer testers compared a standard 60-watt soft-white light bulb against 23 equivalent CFLs.
The big illumination: The winner's light quality was preferred over the regular incandescent.
It's a no-brainer: The lower the lights, the less electricity used. In cases where you use regular bulbs (many CFLs aren't compatible with dimmer switches unless the package says so), setting your dimmer at 75 percent output saves an estimated 20 percent in energy - and it can quadruple the life of the bulbs.
Since people often turn a dimmer to full blast without thinking, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's engineers recommend a special dimmer that can cap the light output at 85 percent, automatically conserving energy.
In the Good Housekeeping Research Institute's tests of CFLs, the overall winner was the Satco Energy Saving Mini Spiral Bulb 13W ($3.49). For a budget alternative, Good Housekeeping suggests trying Great Value Soft White Compact Fluorescent Bulbs ($7.58 per four-pack).
Sylvania Soft White Compact Fluorescent 14W ($7) was the top covered bulb, though the Institute's testers preferred light from the uncovered, twisty-style bulbs in general.
If you prefer to make the switch to a dimmer, Lutron's Skylark EcoDim dimmer ($26.50) performed well in Good Housekeeping's evaluations. Testers didn't mind the lower lighting, so you likely won't either.
Stairways, halls and garages get a lot of through-traffic, and people often forget to shut off lights once they've passed by. Install motion sensors that turn lights on when you walk in and off when motion is no longer detected. Indoor sensors range from $15 (with the sensor fixed in the wall switch) to $45 (a kit with a separate sensor to put where you'd like). Outdoor ones can cost from $16 (for basic floodlights) to $100 (for more decorative or powerful models). Outdoor fixtures that are solar-powered - used for driveways and patios - charge during the day and don't draw from house electricity ($60 to $100).
On another matter: It's your little secret: The bare floors under your bed, sofa and bookcases rarely get cleaned because they're just too difficult to reach. Well, now the resident bunnies will have to find another hutch to hide beneath - Good Housekeeping says the new Good Grips Under Duster ($25) has a special joint in the handle that bends a full 90 degrees, so the mop easily can slip below furniture that's low to the ground. The duster's microfiber pad is washable and extra wide. But if you prefer a dry disposable cleaning cloth, just attach one to the head.
From:www.sltrib.com
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