Why do people do this?

dunstonh

When I bought our house, EPC was E but contained a number of errors (usually because of assumption rather than actually checking).

The lighting showed 33% had low energy.  In reality, virtually none of it did and in one room, there was an old fashioned hanging light with 7 bulbs and each one was a 100w bulb.  i.e. 700w for one light fitting.   The heat that came off that was staggering.      

I initially replaced most of the lighting which reduced costs significantly but I didnt like the light that many of the LEDs produced.  And it turned out the cheap LED lights on Amazon only seem to last about 2-3 years.      So, I have been replacing those with better quality Philips LED lights which are more expensive but have even lower wattage but are better on the eyes (both when lit and when looking at them unit)

We didn't give two hoots about the EPC when buying and the seller didnt either.

The_Green_Hornet

If anyone is interested in getting an EPC, Skipton Building Society still have a free offer on.

https://www.skipton.co.uk/epc-plus

born_again

Given many people are short of cash, shelling out for new bulbs, even though they will save money over years. Is not helping in the short term. Which is how many are living now.

On the EPC, we have 13 ceiling & wall lights all with old filament bulbs in front room (there when we moved in). I have no intention of replacing them, as I can not remember the last time they were turned on. Only light used is a freestanding floor light with a led bulb in.
This is MSE & saving money is key here. Pointless spending on something that never gets used.

QrizB

born_again said:

This is MSE & saving money is key here. Pointless spending on something that never gets used.

That's why I've still got a filament bulb in the loft light. It gets used a couple of times a year, for less than an hour at a time.

And the switch is in the loft, so (unlike my m-i-l's house, where the switch is on the landing) there's no risk of turning it on and not realising it for a month!

Netexporter

Over the years I have "trickled down" lighting. The most used halogens/filaments were replaced with CFLs. When LEDs became more affordable, they replaced existing CFLs and the CFLs replaced remaining filament bulbs. Now I have all LED, barring an infrequently used fluorescent strip in the garage, but there are some old CFLs in the cupboard for emergencies.

There are still a few small filaments in ovens and other kitchen appliances. I wonder if they'll ever be supplanted by LEDs?

RHemmings

Just as a minor comment, while there may be lights that are used occasionally such as the loft lighting mentioned above, I feel less annoyed when I wake up and find that my family has left every single light in the house switched on again, than I would be if they were 60/100W incandescent bulbs. 

victor2

QrizB said:

born_again said:

This is MSE & saving money is key here. Pointless spending on something that never gets used.

That's why I've still got a filament bulb in the loft light. It gets used a couple of times a year, for less than an hour at a time.

And the switch is in the loft, so (unlike my m-i-l's house, where the switch is on the landing) there's no risk of turning it on and not realising it for a month!

Years ago I replaced our kitchen spotlights (3 x 60W) with more efficient ones and put the old light fitting into the loft. The switch is in the loft, but every time I went up there I thought I could forget to switch them off, close the hatch and leave 180 Watts of lights on for maybe a month or more until I go up again. With the price of LED bulbs falling, I did eventually replace them with LEDs. Shortly after, I had workmen in and they had to go into the loft. I checked after they left and they'd left the lights on! I was almost pleased that they had, and it had cost me next to nothing!

Scot_39

For those rubbishing importance of lighting in old EPCs.

Lighting - old filament lighting especially - was a heavy power user in many homes - when that original EPC in OPs opening post likely done.

My parents had - sis still does have - old multi bulb light fittings in largish living room and spare sitting / dining room

That was 5x60 and 6x40W filament just for the two rooms - and with a large family when younger - both rooms in use dusk till midnight plus- 8hrs plus in winter - or more on a dull cloudy day.

540Wx8 hrs = 4.3kWh.

The modern LEDs, best now sub 7 and sub 5 - sub 65Wx8 - 0.5kWh max.

Difference 3.8kWh.

The average single rate meter tdcv now to drop to 2700kWh = 7.4kWh daily average.

So lighting was for them at least at one stage non trivial share of electrical load.


We have transitioned through filament, the woefully unreliable in my experience halogen,  often large / long cfl and now onto at least 2nd generation efficiency level leds.

Not all were suitable by size for all fitments or locations.

We still have a few cfl in spare rooms between us - they won't be swapped now until fail  - power consumption isn't the only environmental cost.

FreeBear

Netexporter said: There are still a few small filaments in ovens and other kitchen appliances. I wonder if they'll ever be supplanted by LEDs?

I have replaced the bulbs in my fridge and freezer after the old ones blew. The oven light requires a bulb rated for high temperature - I don't think there are any LED bulbs available.

RHemmings said:

Just as a minor comment, while there may be lights that are used occasionally such as the loft lighting mentioned above, I feel less annoyed when I wake up and find that my family has left every single light in the house switched on again, than I would be if they were 60/100W incandescent bulbs. 

A case for smart light switches and a bit of home automation that turns the lights off after a set time. Have a light in the utility room that often got left on. It now turns off in conjunction with the kitchen light (but not on). Same for the hallway light, that will turn off automatically at 2AM.

matelodave

Our loft light is a 5 metre LED light strip, must be one of the best illuminated lofts in our street. The switch is in the loft, by the hatch so doesn't get forgotten.

All the other lights in our house are LED, including the outside floodlights, we have a heatpump, cavity wall insulation, 300mm in the loft and double glazed windows and can still only manage a D on our EPC so I've got a pretty jaundiced view of EPC's.