Saving on your energy bill with LED lighting and smart controls

Swap the lights you use most

LED bulbs use a fraction of the energy of incandescent bulbs and give off much less heat, which matters when the AC is already fighting a 100-degree afternoon. Start with kitchen, living room and outdoor lights that run for hours.

Controls that actually help

Dimmers, occupancy sensors in laundry rooms and garages, and timers or photocells for outdoor lights cut run time. Smart switches let you set schedules and turn off lights you forgot.

Where savings are smaller

Smart bulbs in rarely used rooms save little. The bigger savings in Texas homes usually come from the AC, water heater and pool pump, which smart thermostats and timers can help with.

Doing it right

LEDs need compatible dimmers to avoid flicker and buzz, and many smart switches need a neutral wire. Checking the wiring first saves frustration.

Small changes that add up

Outdoor lights on photocells instead of being left on, closet and pantry lights on occupancy switches, and dimmers in rooms used for evening TV each save a little. Across a year, in a house with dozens of fixtures, it adds up. The bigger win is comfort: LED lighting adds much less heat, so rooms full of recessed cans stop fighting the AC on summer evenings.

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