Energy Efficient Light Bulbs — A Clear Cut Means Of Saving Money.
You’ve heard it many times before, probably to the point of hating the phrase, but the truth is that you can save yourself a substantial chunk of change each month by switching out your incandescent and halogen bulbs for a more efficient substitute. If you are skeptical about the real world saving that you can achieve by using energy efficient lighting, this simple formula will allow you to figure it out very accurately.
To figure out the cost of running your present halogen or incandescent bulbs all you need is the wattage of the bulbs, the price you’re paying per kilowatt hour (found on your electric bill), and a calculator. To help you learn how to use this method in your own home, we’ll walk through an example below.
(Note: The abbreviation “Kwh” refers to Kilowatt hours.)
Watts times hours per day = watts per day.
Watts used each day divided by 1000 = Kwh used each day.
Kwh/day x 30 = Kwh/month.
Monthly Kwh x $ per Kwh = monthly cost.
If we take the example of an incandescent bulb at 100 watt strength, it’s easy to figure out what the cost per month will be. If you’re lighting a functional space, like a sewing room or basement workroom, you might have that bulb on for a daily average of 10 hours. (That figure may seem high, but it isn’t. I think you’ll notice that some bulbs are turned on a lot more than 10 hours each day, especially in rooms that don’t get much daylight.). We’re going to pretend that you shell out about $.12 per kilowatt hour on your electric bill, although you may be paying a higher or lower rate in your area. You can find the rate you are paying per kilowatt hour by looking at your electric bill.
A 100 watt bulb burning for 10 hours = 1000 watts.
Divided by 1000 = 1 Kwh per day.
1 Kwh a day x 30 days per month = 30 Kwh used per month.
30 Kwh times $.12 = total of $3.60 per month. Are you shocked at how expensive it is to keep just ONE bulb burning for the month?
To find out how much a compact fluorescent bulb would save, we go through the same process. To replace a 100 watt bulb you normally need a compact fluorescent that’s at least 23 watts, though you might wish to use a 25 or 27 watt bulb if you’re changing over from halogen.
23 watts x 10 hours/day = 230 watts/day.
230 watts divided by 1000 = .23 kilowatt hours per day.
30 days multiplied by 0.23 Kwh = total of 6.9 Kwh.
6.9 Kwh times $.12 = Total cost of $.83 monthly. That’s a saving of $2.77 (or 77%) in one month for one bulb.
If you replaced 10 bulbs in your home you’d save $27.70 in one month.
With method it is easy to determine the real savings you would achieve by taking out your halogen or incandescent bulbs and putting in a suitable equivalent in compact fluorescent lighting. You can switch to energy efficient lighting quite easily nowadays because such a variety of bulbs are available, including ones with bases to fit different kinds of light fixtures. You can even obtain compact fluorescent bulbs that are compatible with dimmer switches, and ones that are rugged enough for exterior use.
Yes, it’s a fact that they cost more. Given the much longer life these bulbs have and the reduction in energy used, you will still spend less money, and the saving will increase over time. If the initial cost is a problem, just plan to convert two or three bulbs per month and you can spread out the cost over time; the cost of the bulbs will be returned within the first two months by the savings on your electric bill.
One advantage of the compact fluorescent bulbs is that they normally have a useful guarantee, so retain your receipts! Put a note on the receipt and/or the package so you’ll know which fixture the bulbs went into, and then you’ll have no trouble if you need to replace them on warranty.
Using compact fluorescent bulbs can certainly save you a nice chunk of change, and you can visit the Energy Resources Journal for more ways to save energy to reduce your bills further.
Finding A Skip Hire Service
Looking for a skip hire service is relatively easy. There are many resources available off and online. A skip is a metal bin used to collect rubbish. This bin is attached to a truck that is equipped to lift the bin and place it on the back of the truck. Once the bin is full of waste, it is taken to a dump site for disposal.
Skips come in different sizes dependant upon their use. They are used for industrial or private waste removal purposes. Construction sites will use skips to remove debris. Large skips would be used in this instance. Smaller skips may be used to remove garden debris from a private home. These bins are used for a number of different purposes.
There are certain items that are restricted from being placed into a skip. Electronic goods, computers and televisions are among the many electronic items that cannot be thrown away in this fashion. Any dangerous materials, toxic chemicals or asbestos cannot be placed in skips. Car batteries and explosive material is also restricted. It is important to know what cannot be placed in these skips as there are fines that must be paid if the rules are not adhered to.
The placement of the skip is also important to take into consideration. If it is placed on a public road a local city permit will be required. But if the skip is going to be on your own private property, a permit is not needed. But if a permit is necessary, they can be obtained through the local city council. The skip hire company normally handles applying for any needed permits.
Depending on the city, there are very strict rules and regulations regarding what can be placed on skips. Many skip companies offer additional services that will help their customers dispose of materials that are not allowed on skips. When hiring a skip company, it is best to ask if these services are available.
Finding a good skip service company will take some investigating on the customer’s part. The internet provides a number of valuable resources. Many skip companies have websites that offer a lot of information on the services that they provide. They can also be found in business directories or from asking around. It is best to know as much as you can about the company you hire. You can schedule a drop off time for when you need the skip placed on your property. And then schedule a delivery time when the company will return to pick up the full bin.
Skip hire companies provide many different kinds of skips. Many will provide you with additional equipment that will help you to collect your rubbish. Discuss your particular needs with the company to see if they can accommodate you. Many companies offer a diversity of services.
Skip hire companies that are environmentally responsible as well as cost effective are not always easy to find. However if you live in Bedfordshire, click on skip hire bedford or bedford skip hire for a great, reliable and earth-friendly skip hire company in your area.
