Save Energy With Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

The Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL from here on)is a fluorecent bulb with a built in electronic ballast. They can be used to replace standard incandescent bulbs and fits in lamps designed for incandescent bulbs.

The typical equivalent CFL to a incandescent is shown below:

25-watt incandescent = 7-watt compact fluorescent
40-watt incandescent = 11-watt compact fluorescent
60-watt incandescent = 15-watt compact fluorescent
75 -watt incandescent = 18-watt compact fluorescent

CFL's are more expensive, but you will come out ahead over the life of the bulb. You will save by using less watts and they emit much less heat so there is less heat load on your air conditioning system. CFL's emit the same light as incandescents but use 75% or 80% less electricity. There was a time when the CFL's did not give off much light, hummed or came on slowly. Now those problems have been overcome and they are almost the same as incandescents. (expect the cost to go down as they become more popular).

The CFL's are now made dimmable. Not every type is available this way but you do have a choice now. Make sure your dimmer is rated for CFL use, if it is not you will have to change it out.

CFL's are expensive to make with the electronics in the base and the glass tube being made by hand. The hot glass tube is actually wrapped around a form by a worker. If the sales of CFL's goes up, the manufacturing costs can go down as more automation is introduced into the manufacturing process.

There is a debate over the MERCURY in the CFL bulbs. The amount that is used per bulb will fit on the tip of a Ball Point Pin. Yes, that is mercury that must be desposed of correctly but it is still less than what is released into the enviroment by burning coal and other means. You can recycle them at some of your local stores such as Ikia and Home Depot.

Go to EnergyStar.gov. to read their FAQ on the CFL's.

You can now take your old compact fluorescent bulbs to Home Depot for recycling, this includes all makers bulbs. This is taking place at all Home Depot stores. Home Depot wants to give the consumer a place to take the old bulbs, and hope's to increase their usage. It is estimated that only about 2% of bulbs are currently being recycled.