Tip
LED conversion + standby loads
1. Replace remaining incandescents and CFLs with LED
An LED uses 75-80% less energy than an incandescent and lasts 25x longer. Replacing 10 frequently-used 60W incandescents with 9W LEDs saves ~$50-$80/year. Most utilities subsidize LEDs heavily — many give them away free.
2. Match color temperature to room
2700-3000K (warm white) for living rooms and bedrooms. 3500-4000K (neutral) for kitchens and bathrooms. 5000K+ (daylight) for garages and workshops only — the cooler color tricks the brain into alertness.
3. Use lumens, not watts, when buying
800 lumens ≈ 60W incandescent equivalent. 1100 lumens ≈ 75W. 1600 lumens ≈ 100W. Wattage on LEDs is just power consumed; lumens is the actual brightness.
4. Find phantom loads
Your TV, cable box, computer, game consoles, and chargers draw power 24/7 even when "off." Smart power strips ($15-$30) cut standby loads by killing power to peripherals when the primary device is off. A typical home has $50-$150/year in phantom loads.
5. Replace outdoor floodlights with LED + photocell or motion sensor
Old halogen 150W floodlights running dusk-to-dawn cost $40-$60/year each. LED equivalents at 25W on a motion sensor cost $5-$10/year and last decades.