There are two things that any homeowner can do immediately to save electricity, and thereby save money. And best of all, it doesn’t change the way things look.
- Change your lightbulbs! And I’m not talking about compact fluorescent (CFL) yet. We’ll discuss those later, since there are a number of factors that go into selecting the right CFL bulb. Instead, look for the same wattage and size light bulb you already use, but select the one that says it’s 130V (volts) instead of 120V.
- Install dimmers! You can get inexpensive dimmers from your local hardware store and install them yourself. Even if you don’t dim the lights you’ll be saving energy. Also, installing a dimmer is very easy. All you need is a screwdriver and to know where the breaker box is located in your home. (Turn off the power to the switch and light before removing the cover plate. Getting shocked is not pleasant and can be dangerous.)
Tags: dimmers, incandescents, light bulbs
