By Krist Matthew, Energy Advisor
Many residents today spend a large portion of their day out of their homes, coming home late to dark exteriors. Having a well-lit exterior increases safety and security for a homeowner. But that means remembering to turn exterior lights on before leaving for the day and having them run all day just to get that added security benefit. As energy-efficiency professionals, we’re always recommending solutions geared toward saving energy and becoming more efficient at using it, but we shouldn’t lose sight of how health and safety can be incorporated.
Dusk-to-dawn light bulbs solve both the energy-efficiency and health-and-safety criteria. The bulbs incorporate sensors that turn them on only at dusk and then turn them off at dawn. You no longer need to manually turn exterior lights on and off; plus, the LED versions are very energy efficient. Dusk-to-dawn light bulbs can be screwed directly into existing sockets without requiring any special lamps or equipment. A homeowner can now come home to a well-lit outdoor space that increases their sense of security while also knowing that their exterior lights have not been running all day long.