Types of Bulbs

Incandescent – The common light bulb. Inefficient but reliable, it is the primary source of light in most homes.
(A 100 watt bulb costs about $0.02 per hour, and a 60 watt about $0.01 per hour)

Halogen – A halogen light operates much the same as an incandescent, but halogen gas inside the bulb makes this light burn much more brightly.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) – The phosphor coating inside a fluorescent bulb glows when charged with electricity. A fluorescent bulb burns cooler and lasts longer than incandescent and halogen bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are more efficient and cheaper to operate than incandescent and halogen bulbs.  

LED (Light-Emitting Diode) - 6" LED retrofit can lights use only 12 watts of power which is 85% less energy than an incandescent bulb, and 50% less than a compact fluorescent.  LED bulbs last 50 times longer than the life of a typical incandescent bulb and 5 times longer than the lifetime of a compact fluorescent bulb. In fact, if you ran one LED bulb for 6 hours per day every day, it would last for nearly 23 years.

Energy Conservation Tips

Dimmers – By dimming the lights in a room, you use less electricity. For examples a light bulb at 50% brightness uses approximately 40% less electricity. A dimmer switch also extends the life of the bulb. A bulb at 50% brightness will last approximately 20 times longer.

Timer Switches – Using timer switches to automatically shut off bathroom lights and exhaust fans will reduce energy consumption. Digital timers are also used to control time intervals for both internal and external lighting.

Occupancy Sensors – An occupancy sensor will turn lights on when someone enters a room, and off after the person leaves the area. These are ideal for closets, hallways, laundry rooms and garages.

Motion Detectors – Leaving outdoor floodlights on all night can get expensive. Installing motion detectors, which react to body heat, greatly reduce the amount of energy consumption.