Summer is here, and while we love getting out in the sunshine and enjoying longer days, there’s no denying the struggle to keep the house cool. Sure, you’re probably cranking up the AC, but you likely never thought about the very lightbulbs shining away in your home that are adding to the indoor temperature. The type of light bulbs you prefer and how you set up your lighting may have a significant impact on your summer indoor comfort. Let’s check out some smart choices for illumination that can help keep you cool without relying only on the air conditioner.

The Heat Is On (From Your Lights)

Consider an old incandescent light bulb. If you touch it after it’s been on for some time, it’s hot. It turns out that heat is not just a side effect of the quantum behavior of electrons in materials. It’s actually a form of waste energy that can be expelled as heat. This might be cozy in winter, but in the heat of the summer, it’s the last thing you want. Those old-fashioned bulbs work by heating a filament until it’s so hot that it glows, and a good chunk of the electricity they consume is emitted as heat, not light.

So, if you have a bunch of these bulbs burning in one room, they’re effectively functioning as very small heaters. This adds to the overall temperature of your home and causes your air conditioner to work even harder. This added stress to your AC will translate to higher energy bills, and no homeowner wants that.

Making Cooler Choices

The good news is that there are plenty of cooler substitutes. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are so much more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs. These newer kinds of bulbs create light by different mechanisms that produce much less heat.

For example, light-emitting diodes deploy semiconductors to create light when electricity runs through them, a process that doesn’t generate a lot of heat. If you have just a few high-wattage incandescent bulbs at a time and replace them with equivalent LED or CFL alternatives, you should see a temperature difference over time. Think about those old-style 60-watt bulbs in your living room lamps. It’s easy to see how lower heat from several bulbs combined can make the room feel cooler without the thermostat being turned down.

Location and Illumination

Where you position your lights and the types of fixtures you use can also affect the warmth in your home. For instance, despite its sleekness, recessed lighting can capture heat at the ceiling. This trapped heat can then be released back into the room and cause the temperature to rise. Consider using fewer recessed lights, and instead, choose other types of fixtures, such as floor lamps or table lamps that allow heat to escape.

Also, think about the direction of your light. Spotlights focus beams of light directly onto a seating area and will invariably focus any heat they produce in the same place as you want to relax. Choosing softer, more ambient lighting that evenly distributes light throughout the room can also help prevent these localized warm spots.

If you need help determining the optimal lighting solutions for your home this summer, consult with a pro. Reach out to our team at Ambition Electric, and we can work with you to choose lighting for your Lincoln, NE home that will make it bright and comfortable.