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Outdoor lighting

(NC)-You should be aware that leaving outdoor lights on all night for convenience or security reasons may entail substantial electricity costs.  If you want to use less electricity but still have appropriate lighting, there are a number of possible solutions.

Motion detector for outdoor lighting

• For outdoor security lighting, a motion detector is just the thing. It automatically turns on lights when the sensor picks up motion and turns them off when the sensor no longer detects motion over a certain period of time.
• Sensors are always combined with a photoelectric cell that detects natural lighting and prevents lights from going on during the day. That way, you save energy.

Timer for outdoor lighting

• A timer is another device that controls how long lights stay on and off.
• Timers can considerably reduce the amount of electricity used for outdoor lighting by turning on lights only when they are needed and only for a limited time.
• Don't forget that a 100-W light bulb left on 24 hours a day costs $60 a year in electricity.

Compact fluorescents

• Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (designed for outdoor use) is an efficient way to save electricity. Compact fluorescents use up to 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times as long as standard incandescent bulbs of equivalent light power. This makes them especially suitable for hard-to-reach places.
   

Indoor lighting

(NC)-There are simple, efficient ways of reducing your electricity consumption for lighting inside your home.

Compact fluorescents

• Compact fluorescent bulbs are one of your best bets. They use up to 75% less electricity than conventional incandescent bulbs that give off the equivalent light, and fluorescents last up to 10 times longer.

Timer for indoor lighting

• Do you like to leave a light on when you're away from home? A timer for indoor lighting turns a light on and off at regular times so you don't have to keep it on all the time.

Holiday lighting solutions

• During the holidays, use minibulbs to decorate your home. They consume much less power than regular decorative lights. You can also use timers to control when your indoor and outdoor holiday lights go on and off. Your lights will go on only in the evening and you'll save electricity.
   

Compact fluorescents

(NC)-Hydro-Québec, always on the lookout for new ways of saving energy, recommends replacing conventional incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescents, both indoors and out.

Consumption

• Compact fluorescent bulbs save on electricity used for home lighting. They use up to 75% less power than an equivalent conventional incandescent bulb.
• A 25-W compact fluorescent, which provides about the same light as an ordinary 100-W bulb, will save you about $5.80 a year when used three hours a day outdoors.
• Indoors, the savings would be approximately $2 per year per incandescent bulb replaced. Why? Because the compact fluorescent gives off less heat, which is recovered in winter. You'll still gain by replacing as many bulbs as possible in your home, however.

Service life

• Compact fluorescents can last up to 10,000 hours, in contrast to the 1,000 hours of a conventional incandescent bulb. So a compact fluorescent is 10 times as efficient.
• Some less expensive compact fluorescents have a service life of 4,000-6,000 hours.

Other advantages

• Since a fluorescent can last 10,000 hours, it is especially suitable for hard-to-reach fixtures.
• Compact fluorescent bulbs need to be changed less often, so less waste is generated.

Tips

• It's important to choose compact fluorescents with the right power rating if you want to save electricity. You should begin by replacing the bulbs you use most often and for the longest time.
• Also, to maximize the service life of compact fluorescents, you should avoid switching them on and off within a short space of time. . Leave them on or off for at least 10-15 minutes at a time.
• Using long-life incandescent bulbs is not recommended because they use more energy to give off the same amount of light.
   

You can find out how much this solution would save you by completing the ENERGY WISE Home Diagnostic. Call 1-800-363-7443, or (514) 363-7443 in the Montréal region, for your questionnaire or go to www.hydroquebec.com residential to do the online Diagnostic and obtain your recommendations report immediately. 

Along with your recommendations report, you'll get a promotional leaflet containing information about discounts on electronic thermostats and other energy-saving products from our manufacturer and retailer partners.