Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
By Maura Yates
Are You Burning Cash?
Lighting accounts for about 20 percent of all electricity use in the U.S. and about 25 percent of electricity use in U.S. homes according to Eartheasy. It is estimated that the typical household spends about $110 per year on lighting and most of this cost is lost in the form of waste from inefficient incandescent light bulbs. These bulbs are essentially heaters in disguise, converting about 90 percent of the electricity to heat and only about 10 percent to visible light.
Insider Secrets
Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) create light just as the fluorescent tubes co that you see in offices, schools, and warehouses. The fluorescent tube is smaller and looped to fit into spaces designed for incandescent bulbs.
Some CFLs are of the "modular" type, having bulbs and ballast (screw-type base) that can be separated and replaced separately. Others are of the “integral” type, in which the ballast is permanently built into the bulb and is discarded with the bulb once it burns out. The integral type is the one most commonly found in stores.
You'll Save Money. Here's How!
Originally, CFL bulbs were far more expensive than incandescent ones, because development costs were high during their innovation. Recently, however, the price of high-quality CFLs has plummeted.
As the number of lights sold (and power company subsidies) increase, the price will continue to drop. What was once a $15-$20 investment per bulb now hovers around $3!
That’s still higher than an incandescent, but the electricity savings and longer life of CFLs more than justify their initially higher purchase cost.
The $3 you’ll pay for an 18 watt CFL buys you the same light as ten ordinary 75 watt bulbs, which would cost you $9, saving you the $6 cost difference, plus about $45 in electricity cost according to EnergyStar
Investing in a CFL provides a risk-free return of nearly 300 percent on raw materials, and 1,500 percent electrical savings. Not bad, compared to investing in mutual funds, money markets or even the volatile stock market. Just count up the number of light bulbs in your house and you’ll soon realize, return on investment has never been easier.
Will it Fit?
CFLs can be used in any normal light fixture, including table lamps, ceiling lights, spot lights, car ports, decks, and outdoor locations. They also are being used as a replacement for halogen floor lamps. Some light fixtures are specifically designed for CFLs. Many of these can be identified by the Energy Star label sponsored by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy.
Limitations
Compact Fluorescent Lights can be used in the 20°F (-6°C) to 140°F (60°C) range but performance starts to suffer below -20°F (-29°C) or above 140°F (60°C), basically, in an igloo or an oven.
Sources: www.michaelbluejay.com/electricity/lighting.html
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
www.eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm
www.ci.tacoma.wa.us/power/ResidentialServices/faq/lighting.htm
