EPCs - My Energy Efficiency Rating is better than yours!

Doozergirl

Surbybird wrote: »

We're an 'F' but it's a Victorian semi with rubbishy windows and solid fuel heating (not for much longer - shiny new combi going in soon!).

It was also marked down for not having any energy saving bulbs so I've removed all the old ones, put the energy saving ones in everywhere and now walk round in the halflight all the time, smug in the knowledge that although the cats are the only ones who can see where they are going, I am nudging my house up towards an 'E'...

Why can't those wretched bulbs glow a bit more brightly? Since I went all energy efficient with my bulbs I have had to start wearing one of those headlamp thingys when I walk about in the house in the evenings so I don't trip over a cat.

:mad:

I have neigbours who have put in LED downlighters. Their house glows blue, properly blue when you're looking at from the street and you can't see anything in their house, your eyes have to adjust your eyes to darkness. The tone of the colour on everything in the house isn't nice - rather than a warm glow, it's like being inside a fridge.

No doubt they are saving money and good on them too but I couldn't live with that colour of light.

Surbybird

keith969 wrote: »

:rotfl:

I find them OK for things like landing/hall and bedroom lights, but they're totally useless where you need a good light to read by, for example.
.

Reading by those bulbs is pointless and I am now starting to question the wisdom of fitting them.

As an example, I used to have one central 100 watt bulb lit in the lounge and it provided very good general light and certainly plenty to read by. I now switch on the main light plus about 6 table/floorstanding lamps to get the same effect so I am not really saving energy at all, although the room warms up nicely!

However, if I do persevere with the energy efficient stuff I shall have to invest in a portable sonar machine so that I can navigate the house without tripping over things.

:rotfl:

Surbybird

KeepYourChinUp wrote: »

I have noticed that how long they take to 'warm' up depends on your light fittings it can only be that because I bought all the same make/wattage at the same time and each fitting takes a different amount of time to reach peak.

The ones that I have seem to warm up quite quickly but they are just not very bright (maybe my eyesight is not as good as I think it is!) so I have to switch more of the lights on to be able to have anything more than 'background' lighting, which isn't good for me as I have a few problems with balance.

Hmm.

keith969

The standard LED GU10 replacements are a bluish colour, however there are warm white ones available... but they cost a fortune!

http://www.led-lightbulbs.co.uk/pp/LED_Bulbs/GU10/GU10_3x1W_XRE-P2_LED_90_-230V_Warm_White.html

Surbybird

Doozergirl wrote: »

I have neigbours who have put in LED downlighters. Their house glows blue, properly blue when you're looking at from the street and you can't see anything in their house, your eyes have to adjust your eyes to darkness. The tone of the colour on everything in the house isn't nice - rather than a warm glow, it's like being inside a fridge.

No doubt they are saving money and good on them too but I couldn't live with that colour of light.

Ah, there goes my plan to go for LEDs then!

23rdspiral

surby bird - dont totally discount LEDs - it depends on why, what and where...

i've 2 LED cieling lights about the cooker and they are great - they provide a really good bright light to see what you are doing on the hob and are so cheep to run we leave them on all evening as background light to saving using the kitchen lights when we only walk through. i'd definately recommend them for this use.