Earlier this week I needed something from my basement, a place I don’t generally go. We use it for storage. It has a dirt floor and walls, plus, most of it is a crawl space.
I opened the door and flicked the switch to turn on the light but discovered it had burned out. Not surprising. What was surprising is when I went to change it: it was an old incandescent bulb.
In Avista’s Energy Guide it recommends changing out all of your old incandescent bulbs for more energy efficient LEDs. LEDs use up to 90% less electricity than traditional bulbs and produce the same amount of light. I thought I had found all of the traditional ones in my old house and had switched, but apparently, I missed this one. It got me thinking about how many others I have missed.
There is the light in my refrigerator: you can buy LEDs specifically for this use. A quick search on the internet informed me that you should never use an LED in your oven as the high temperatures would melt the plastic.
There are also attics, laundry rooms, garages and storage spaces. The chandelier in my living room takes those little bulbs that look like candle flames—you can find smart bulbs and LEDs for those, too.
This week, I’m going to spend some time finding bulbs I haven’t thought to change. I think I still have a few more to go.
Lisa, an Avista customer, bought her 1910 house because she loved the old-world character, some of which doesn’t make her house very energy efficient. Lisa is sharing her experience on taking some simple do-it-yourself improvements to inspire others to do the same. You’ll find her stories right here every Tuesday morning.