How to Reduce Electricity from Lighting

How to Reduce Electricity from Lighting

Lighting accounts for about 15% of the average US home's electricity use — roughly $200–$300 per year for a typical household. The good news: lighting is one of the easiest and fastest categories to reduce. Here are 8 effective steps, ranked by impact.

What You'll Need

• Amazon Basics LED Light Bulbs — the foundation of any lighting energy reduction plan. 75–90% less energy than incandescent for the same brightness.
• ELEGRP LED Dimmer Switch — dimming LEDs to 70–80% saves an additional 20–30% on those fixtures.
• Kasa Smart WiFi Light Switch — schedule lights to turn off automatically and control remotely to eliminate lights left on unnecessarily.

8 Steps to Reduce Lighting Electricity

1. Switch All Bulbs to LED (Highest Impact)

This is the single most impactful lighting energy reduction available. LED bulbs use 75–90% less electricity than incandescent bulbs for the same light output.

*Based on $0.13/kWh. Savings higher in states with above-average electricity rates.

For a home with 20 bulbs averaging 60W incandescent, switching all to LED saves approximately $77 per year in electricity alone.

2. Prioritize High-Use, High-Wattage Fixtures First

Not all fixtures are equal. A bulb that runs 8 hours per day saves twice as much as one that runs 4 hours per day. Target these first:

• Outdoor lights — often run 8–12 hours per night; highest per-bulb savings
• Kitchen overhead lights — high daily use, often high wattage
• Living room recessed lights — multiple fixtures running many hours
• Garage lights — often high wattage, long run times

3. Add Dimmer Switches to High-Use Rooms

Dimming an LED to 70% brightness reduces energy use by approximately 25–30%. Adding dimmers to living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms — and actually using them — can reduce lighting energy in those rooms by 20–30% beyond the LED savings alone.

The ELEGRP LED Dimmer Switch is LED-compatible and works with standard single-pole wiring. Replacing an old incandescent dimmer also eliminates the driver stress that causes premature LED failure.

4. Install Smart Switches or Smart Bulbs

Lights left on in empty rooms are pure waste. Smart switches and smart bulbs solve this with:

• Schedules: Automatically turn off at set times (outdoor lights at sunrise, bedroom lights at midnight)
• Remote control: Turn off lights you forgot from anywhere via app
• Motion sensing: Some smart switches have built-in occupancy sensing
• Usage tracking: See exactly how much energy each circuit uses

The Kasa Smart WiFi Light Switch works with Alexa and Google Home, requires no hub, and lets you schedule and remotely control any fixture. Studies show smart lighting controls reduce lighting energy use by 20–40% beyond bulb efficiency alone.

5. Install Motion Sensors on Low-Use Fixtures

Bathrooms, hallways, closets, garages, and outdoor areas are frequently left lit when unoccupied. A motion sensor switch ensures these lights are only on when someone is present. Typical energy reduction for motion-sensor controlled fixtures: 50–70%.

Motion sensor switches are inexpensive ($15–30) and replace standard switches with no additional wiring in most cases.

6. Use Timers for Outdoor Lights

Outdoor lights left on all night waste significant energy. A simple timer or smart switch set to turn off at midnight (or at sunrise) can cut outdoor lighting energy use by 30–50% compared to leaving lights on all night.

Alternatively, use dusk-to-dawn LED bulbs with built-in photocells that automatically turn on at dusk and off at sunrise — no timer or smart switch needed.

7. Maximize Natural Light

Reducing the hours you need artificial light is the most cost-free energy reduction available:

• Keep windows clean — dirty windows reduce natural light transmission significantly
• Use light-colored window treatments that let light in while providing privacy
• Arrange workspaces near windows to use natural light for daytime tasks
• Consider a solar tube or skylight for chronically dark rooms

8. Replace Recessed Lights with LED Retrofit Kits

Recessed can lights with incandescent or halogen PAR bulbs are often the highest-wattage fixtures in a home. A 65W incandescent PAR bulb replaced with a 12W LED retrofit saves 53W per fixture. With 8 recessed lights, that's 424W saved at full brightness — about $28 per year at 4 hours/day use.

The Amico LED Retrofit Kit replaces the bulb and trim in one unit, fits standard 5–6 inch cans, and includes a 5-color temperature selector.

How Much Can You Save? A Full Home Example

These are conservative estimates. Homes with higher electricity rates, more fixtures, or higher-wattage bulbs will save more.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of my electricity bill is lighting?

For the average US home, lighting accounts for about 15% of total electricity use. This varies significantly by home — homes with many incandescent fixtures or outdoor lights may be higher; homes already using LED throughout may be lower. Check your utility bill for total kWh usage and compare to the estimated lighting kWh to get your specific percentage.

Does turning lights off and on use more electricity than leaving them on?

No — this is a myth for LED and incandescent bulbs. The tiny startup surge is negligible compared to the continuous energy use of leaving a light on. Always turn lights off when leaving a room. The only exception is fluorescent fixtures, where frequent switching can shorten bulb life — but even then, the energy savings from turning them off outweigh the replacement cost.

How much does it cost to leave a light on all night?

A 9W LED left on for 8 hours uses 0.072 kWh — about $0.009 per night, or $3.40 per year. A 60W incandescent left on for 8 hours uses 0.48 kWh — about $0.062 per night, or $22.80 per year. For outdoor lights running 10 hours per night, the difference is even more dramatic.

Is it worth replacing LED bulbs that are still working to get newer, more efficient models?

Generally no — modern LEDs are already highly efficient, and the efficiency difference between a 5-year-old LED and a new one is small. The energy and materials used to manufacture a new bulb outweigh the efficiency gains in most cases. Wait until existing LEDs fail before replacing them.

Quick Priority List

1. Switch all incandescent bulbs to LED — start with outdoor and high-use fixtures
2. Add dimmer switches to living room, dining room, bedroom
3. Install smart switches on outdoor lights and frequently forgotten fixtures
4. Add motion sensors to bathrooms, hallways, closets, garage
5. Replace recessed can lights with LED retrofit kits
6. Use timers or dusk-to-dawn bulbs for outdoor fixtures

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we trust.