Does a motion sensor light save energy?
My electric bill went up again.They used to be around $50 a month.I attempt to remove the fan, microwave, and other appliances.Shut the lights off when not in use, shut the computer off at night, and so on.Why is my bill so high?I don't know what I can do to reduce it.I try to keep the air off when my husband is at work and I am away from the house.My almost 3 year old son won't sleep without a light on and a night light.When he sleeps through it, I try to shut it off, but it wakes him up and he turns it on again.I was thinking of a motion sensor light, but not sure how much they are and if it would help save some energy, because I'm all about being green, and saving some green in these electricity bills.Is it possible that this would save a lot if the light is on most of the night and the morning?I want to get my bills low again.
Motion sensors can help, but lights are not the main cause of your electric bill.If they are electric, you can make big differences with the refrigerator, airconditioner, and water heater.
If you can't afford an energystar rated refrigerator, make sure you clean the coils on it.Depending on where you live, you may need to do it once a month or twice a year.It operates better if you keep it full and run less often when it's full.Since water has a high thermal capacity, bottles of water work well.
Better insulation is a better strategy for air conditioning and heat than a few more degrees of heat or cold.If you rent, you can make a big difference without adding insulation by caulking and caulking all the exterior walls at the baseboards.Ceiling fans can make a room feel about 5 degree cooler with virtually no sound or cost, meaning you can turn the heat up 5.If you have large expanses of window on the south or west side of the house, make sure they are draped with white-backed drapes to keep the sun out.You can tint your windows with reflective low-e tint.Solar screens cut solar heat outside the window.
If you own the house and are in it for a long time, then you should use dual or triple pane windows.If you live in a very sunny area, you should get a "reflective barrier system" put into your attic.A heat pump cools for a fraction of the cost of A/C, and can be more efficient for heat at some point in the year.An evaporative cooler can cool you for less than a heat pump.
If you have a water heater that's less than 10 years old, leave it.Don't skimp on the 1-inch blanket if it's older, and get the 3-inch thick one if you need it.The extra money will be paid off in a month.Ultra-low-flow showerheads are better than 2.5GPM or illegal ones.Less water flow means less hot water.It's the same thing to wash clothes with cold water.
At a young age, fear of the dark can be broken.I would make sure the light uses the least amount of energy and that it uses less wattage over time.If a motion sensor turns on when he rolls over, it could wake him up.I would put one of the night lights in his room and shut it off when he falls asleep, it's likely that he won't notice the light is off.
General saving energy is back.It is possible to use up to 15% of a bill when the item is fully charged, so if you want to save money, you can always charge the items overnight.I have a power strip with a switch that I plug into when I'm not using the items, so I can stop the electricity from being used when they aren't in use.It's the same with the computer, speakers, printer and monitor.You can adjust your thermostat higher and still be comfortable if you have a fan.The cool evening and morning air can help cool the house.Cool air can be lost if blinds are not used to keep it out.Keeping your refrigerator full but not stuffed helps it maintain it's temp, don't keep the door open longer than necessary and try to get everything out at one time.
The first thing to do is to cut down on the wattage of the lights.It won't make a difference if you put it on a motion sensor.I have a single strand of lights that draw 6 Watts and illuminate our back hallway and most of the kitchen at night.I can train a child to accept dark by gradually reducing brightness, a bit at a time until they stop demanding, because they work on a dimmer.They can turn the light back on, but it's still very dim because they can't reach the dimmer.The child has to turn it on to make it worth it.
I suggest you look elsewhere for a large increase if your wattage has increased a lot.A lot of clothes are dried with electricity.