For something as ubiquitous as electric lighting, it may be hard to imagine a time when our homes were without it. However, using electricity for residential illumination only became common in the U.S. during the 1940s. Since then, we’ve been extending our days into our nights, often with a flick of a switch.

Consider that almost everyone has a light or a number of lights they rely on to nurse their night owl tendencies. Why wouldn’t you want efficiency, quality and the most overall value from those essential fixtures? Here are a few of the most common, including opportunities for their improvement:

Ceiling fixtures
Around 2500 BC, the ancient Egyptians began using the first-known ceiling lights. Made from clay, these lamps burned animal fat, bees wax or plant-based oils, including olive, sesame and grapeseed. Fast forwarding to the 1950s, almost all residential ceiling lights required incandescent bulbs. While much safer and more efficient than producing light from combustion, about 90% of the electricity they consumed produced heat, rather than light. Today, homeowners can select light-emitting diode (LED) replacement bulbs that require six to seven times less electricity to produce the same amount of light, while lasting up to 12 times longer. Another option consumers have is to install fully dimmable LED replacement bulbs and the appropriate dimmer switch. By doing so, users can adjust light levels to their desired effect. For even greater energy efficiency and longevity, consider replacing an old fixture with a solid-state LED fixture. Many are also fully dimmable. Solid-state fixtures have embedded LEDs so bulb replacement is no longer necessary.

Plug-in lamps
It is common to leave a wall or table lamp on for someone needing to pass through an area of the home after everyone else has gone to bed. In 1902, bulbs with two carbon filaments were created to allow for adjustable lighting levels. Shortly thereafter, manufacturing of lamps with multilevel switches allowed homeowners to select multiple illumination levels. This reduced the amount of electricity used when minimal levels of illumination were appropriate. With a simple twist of the switch, full lighting levels could be restored. As with other socket-type fixtures, improving efficiency is as simple as replacing older incandescent bulbs with three-way LED replacement lamps.

Outdoor sconces and pathway lights
Especially as we enter the winter season and our nights become longer, exterior lighting becomes a matter of maintaining safety. Sidewalks can become snow- or ice-covered, which creates slipping hazards. While converting these to LED is an easy option to improve efficiency, when was the last time you cleaned these fixtures? Over the past 40 years, The Illuminating Engineering Society has commissioned several luminaire dirt depreciation studies to find that outdoor fixtures can lose 11 to 29% of their light output due to outdoor environments. A simple way to reestablish their lighting levels is to add “fixture” cleaning to your fall routine. After a season of dusty winds, lawn mowing and plants pollenating, this is the perfect time to restore their functionality.

Plug-in lights
How easy is it to plug a small night light into an electric socket to provide a little extra illumination where you need it? Though they may only require between two and seven watts of power, many operate continuously and do not switch off during the day. Over the course of a year, they can double the amount of energy needed to provide that small amount of extra safety and security. Instead, install an LED night light with a photosensor switch. Most require one watt or less of power to operate and automatically switch “on” or “off” depending on the amount of light from other sources.

Your local utility wants to help you effectively and efficiently light up your night, when and where you need it! For additional ways you can save energy every day, contact your local utility.