Energy and money savings with just a simple DIY exercise...

I have been using energy saving lamps at home when they were first popularised in the market some years ago. But, there were still six more circular fluorescent lamp fittings on the ceilings in each living space.

Lately, due to the increase in electricity tariffs, I have decided to cut expenses further by putting my DIY skills to good use. I have managed to replace all the existing fluorescent lamps into the energy saving installations on my own. And it saves a lot on installation when you DIY.

For the uninitiated, a lamp holder costs just S$2.50, a 20W energy saving bulb costs about S$7. So, each lamp costs less than S$10 when you DIY. The normal installation fees by most electricians range from S$30 to S$50. So, considering the replacement installation alone, I have already saved about $120 to $240.

Subsequently, the power consumption will be further reduced because the existing 40W fluorescent lamps are now replaced with 20W energy saving bulbs. So, that will yield at least 50% savings because not all fittings use 20W lamp, some use 15W or 9W depending on the size of the space. Furthermore, a 20W energy saving bulb emits about 100W equivalent of brightness.

So, it makes economical sense to convert all fluorescent fittings into energy saving installations.