# Do you routinely Turn off lights at Home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618 "2025-04-04T14:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/1 "2025-04-04T14:58:16Z")
Simple Question. I’m curious if attitudes have changed with energy saving lighting. Do you routinely Turn off lights at Home? _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/2 "2025-04-04T15:00:02Z")
Mainly at bedtime. Occasionally if not going back in the room for a while. Some of our lights are on motion sensors so no need to actively turn them off. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/3 "2025-04-04T15:01:12Z")
I am always turing stuff off. Fans will be left on indefinitely, otherwise. If no one’s in the room I will turn the light and TV off. /dad ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/4 "2025-04-04T15:03:20Z")
I edited and changed one word to correct grammar (going to go). Two votes disappeared. I didn’t realize Discourse would do that. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/5 "2025-04-04T15:03:28Z")
I’ve always turned off lights when I leave for more than a couple of minutes. This behavior isn’t a change. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/6 "2025-04-04T15:04:28Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Fans will be left on indefinitely, otherwise We have three ceiling fans and one normal fan that are on 24/7. I’ve decided it’s not worth a fight. I do turn them off when we leave town for more than a few days. Lights are not a big problem at our house. We might leave some on in the kitchen, for example, if we’re going in and out. But they are all LEDs and it’s not a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/7 "2025-04-04T15:05:52Z")
Mostly. The living room light stays on in the evenings even if nobody is in there, otherwise from the street it looks like nobody’s home. The lights over the kitchen sink stay on 24/7. Otherwise lights stay off unless I’m in the room. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/8 "2025-04-04T15:14:27Z")
My dad grew up in the depression and was very strict about turning off lights. I will leave the lights on unless I’m leaving the room for an hour or more. I remember getting frustrated with my dad. I’d go to the kitchen for a drink and he would get upset if my bedroom lights were on. _I’m coming right back!_ I do leave a lamp on in the kitchen and the outside security lights come on automatically at night. I don’t like returning home to total darkness. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/9 "2025-04-04T15:14:40Z")
Almost always turned off when I leave the room. Sometimes I leave one on as a reminder that there’s something incomplete in that room that I have to go back for soon-ish. The layout of my current residence is such that I really don’t need lights on while the sun is up except in a closet. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/10 "2025-04-04T15:20:14Z")
Mostly turn them off if won’t be back in for while. But, we have a couple of lights on smart plugs that turn them on and off according to schedules. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/11 "2025-04-04T15:24:50Z")
I live in a three-room apartment–living room/kitchen and two bedrooms. I have an Amazon echo in each of those rooms and 20 smart plugs distributed throughout. (I moved here from a bigger house.) I have multiple routines set up so that I can use voice commands to tell Alexa to darken a room, lighten a room, turn off certain lights according to a pattern, turn on certain lights according to a pattern, and of course, turn on and off individual lamps. Alexa lives to serve me. 👑 So to answer the OPs question, my pattern is random and according to my whim. I rarely use ceiling fixtures, but when I do, I turn those on and off manually. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/12 "2025-04-04T16:34:17Z")
Poll needs option “and I also turn off everyone else’s goddamn lights.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/13 "2025-04-04T16:37:56Z")
This is a particular pet peeve of mine. This place is lit up like a run way some evenings. It drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/14 "2025-04-04T16:38:38Z")
Not having lights on doesn’t bother me. I’m just fine sitting in a dim room while using a computer or having the TV on. My wife thinks it’s a sign of senility and is always prompting me to “turn on a light!” ---
**Author:** ![Boudicca90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boudicca90/32/16818_2.png) [@Boudicca90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boudicca90)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/15 "2025-04-04T16:47:06Z")
Don’t worry, I do the same thing and I am nowhere near the age where I have to worry about senility. I’ve just always been a night person and like darkness better. When I do have a light on, I usually keep it somewhat dim and I always turn it off if I’m leaving a room for a significant length of time. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/16 "2025-04-04T16:54:54Z")
I’m always turning lights off around the house, usually because my wife has turned them all on and then is nowhere to be found. Drives me crazy. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/17 "2025-04-04T16:55:55Z")
Flipping the question around a bit: I have enough natural light in my place so that I usually only turn on the lights when it’s dark outside. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/18 "2025-04-04T16:59:45Z")
From wife and I has always been the practice since we were kids. Not sure where we got it from - I think some TV show or something - but we’ll often say, “What, do you think I work for the electric company or something?!” Often, past sundown we’ll be sitting in an entirely dark house, with a single light on between us as we read. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/19 "2025-04-04T17:06:59Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Mostly. The living room light stays on in the evenings even if nobody is in there, otherwise from the street it looks like nobody’s home. This. The living room stays lit all the time. (Well, not at night because that would piss off my dog who sleeps in there but otherwise yes.) For any other room, if I’m not in there I turn off the lights. That’s how I was raised and it saves electricity. Why should a light be on if I’m not in there. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618/20 "2025-04-04T17:12:22Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > But they are all LEDs and it’s not a big deal. We moved into our house in 2007. It had been newly renovated with 50W recessed halogen lighting throughout, about 50-60 in total. That would be 3KWH with them all running. As LED replacements came into the market, I started replacing the highest usage lights and once the price per bulb dropped replaced the rest. My power usage went down 40% with all LED vs. all halogen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-turn-off-lights-at-home/1016618.md?page=2)