LIGHTBULB MOMENT

Did you know that lighting accounts for around 15% of a typical household’s electricity usage? So it’s worth spending a little time thinking about how to cut your lighting bill by changing the type of bulbs you use – and how you use them. There are three different types of energy-saving light bulbs – compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, halogens and light emitting diodes, better known as LEDs. Of these the least efficient are halogen bulbs, which use 20-30% less energy than a traditional bulb, while CFLs use 60-80% less and LEDs head up the pack, using up to 90% less.

In terms of running costs per bulb, annually a CFL will cost around £2.04 per bulb, while LEDs will set you back £1.71 per bulb. However halogens are the most expensive with an annual running cost of approximately £8.42 per bulb.