Save Money By Using Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs

From Associated Content, by Hally Z.

It is true that compact fluorescent lightbulbs initially cost more than incandescent lightbulbs. However, this difference in cost is usually made up in just six months of use.

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs are not only good for the environment - they can also help save you money. According to Energy Star, lighting accounts for 20 percent of the electrical bill in most U.S. homes. A compact fluorescent lightbulb uses about 75 percent less energy than a traditional incandescent one, and lasts 10 times longer.

For example, consider the 800 lumen incandescent lightbulb compared with a comparable compact fluorescent lightbulb. (A lumen is a measure of light.) While both bulbs produce 800 lumens of light, it takes only 13 watts of energy to power the compact fluorescent bulb, as opposed to 60 watts for the incandescent bulb. Due to these different energy requirements, over its lifetime, a single compact fluorescent lightbulb will save the average household $30 in electrical costs. Furthermore, because compact fluorescent lightbulbs generate significantly less heat than incandescent ones, they reduce the cooling costs of homes and buildings.

It is true that compact fluorescent lightbulbs initially cost more than incandescent lightbulbs. However, this difference in cost is usually made up in just six months of use. Also, while the average lightbulb lasts only about 1,000 hours, a compact fluorescent lightbulb has a lifespan of 7,000 to 10,000 hours.

Considering that the average household has at least 30 light fixtures, the electrical cost savings from compact fluorescent lightbulb usage can be huge. This is especially true if compact fluorescent lightbulbs are installed in high-use areas such as outdoor porches, living rooms and kitchens. For those who would like to calculate just how much money is saved from the installation of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, the Environmental Defense Fund offers a useful online calculator. This calculator also estimates how much every single compact fluorescent bulb helps the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

One concern that people have with compact fluorescent lightbulbs is that the bulbs contain a small amount of mercury. However, as long as the bulbs are recycled at qualified mercury recycling centers, the mercury should pose no threat to people or to the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides useful information on mercury-containing lightbulb recycling centers and locations. Best of all, recycling compact fluorescent lightbulbs costs no money.

When choosing compact fluorescent lightbulbs, it is important to take note of the location, shape, features, brightness and color of light emitted by the bulb. Location examples may include the outdoors, a ceiling fan or a wall sconce. A lightbulb may be shaped like a spiral, globe or flood lightbulb, and have features such as a dimmable or three-way switch. Lightbulb brightness (lumens) should also be taken into consideration so that an area receives sufficient illumination. Finally, lightbulbs may emit cool light or warm light, with these light color intensities described on a Kelvin temperature scale. More information is available at the Environmental Defense Fund's Web site.

For those who are hoping to save additional money on compact fluorescent lightbulbs, manufacturers such as GE, Panasonic and Greenlite do offer bulk purchase discounts. One Billion Bulbs offers more information on where compact fluorescent lightbulbs can be purchased online and in bulk.

Sources:

Energy Star: Lighting Products: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=lighting.pr_lighting
Energy Star: Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs for Consumers: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
Environmental Defense Fund: Calculate Your Bulb Savings: www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=602&campaign=mts
Bulb/lamp recycling: www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/index.htm
Find an Energy-Saving Lightbulb: www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagid=632&campaign=mts
One Billion Bulbs: Buy Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs Online: www.onebillionbulbs.com/BuyOnline

Comments

[getsgarth]

How to clean up a broken compact fluorescent light bulb:

From the EPA:
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#fluorescent

From Energy Star:
http://energystar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energystar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2655

Basically, don't use a vacuum cleaner or a broom, but some double sided tape.

I have some CFL in my house, but in many places; however, I still like the incandescent lights for the quality of the light and for the ability to use a dimmer.

[Roger Roster]

CFL and LED is the way ahead for energy efficiency. There are other ways by which we need to save energy too, for example by installing energy efficient transformers. A lot of energy generated in the US is lost even before it reaches a single light bulb and energy efficient technology is the solution of the future. Some companies like ABB and Pacific Crest Transformers are doing some interesting work along these lines, hope other will follow soon.

[PlayTOE]

Why are LED lights not on the market? They are at least 2x as efficient as florescent, and contain no harmful pollutants .. and they last a very long time.

[Elahrairah]

I can't use these. They give me terrible headaches.

We just switched to pure wind power and continue to use halogens and incandescents. It costs us more, but it is far better for the environment than supporting the mercury industry.

[Horus45]

I have 8 outdoor lights on my property that are on from dusk till dawn.
5 years ago I switched my entire house and outdoor lights over to these new bulbs and noticed a difference with my first electric bill after the switch.
My electric bill was 20% lower than before the switch, a savings of $40.00 per month.
At the time it cost me about $40.00 to make the switch, so it paid for itself in one month.
Now the bulbs are much more affordable. Last week I was at Home Depot and they were selling the bulbs for $1.89 for a four pack, when I bought them I paid about $9.00 for a four pack.
Besides the cost savings in electricity used these bulbs last so much longer than the incandescent bulbs.

If everyone in this country switched to these bulbs that would be enough of a savings to enable us to stop importing oil from the Middle East.

[CommunistUtopia]

This should outrage Liberal Democrats. Pushing these horrible junk bulbs was pushed through by GE because GE realized these junk bulbs could not compete in the free market.

[Horus45]

I'm Liberal and I love them!
They have saved me so much money.

[CommunistUtopia]

Do you like the fact that the government has told you that it is what you must buy?

[CommunistUtopia]

These things are horrible. They are expensive and they give off a weird light. These are a joke and I am going to stock up about 1,000 incandescent bulbs before the idiot government bans them.

[deepintheheartoftejas]

The majority of bulbs in my house are CFLs, and have been for a long time. However, I like incandescents in my dining room and bedroom, where I have dimmer switches and often like to turn the light down low, depending on the mood. Both make for nice romantic evenings.

Yet, in just two years, I'll be banned from buying any more incandescent bulbs. I find this very annoying. Wouldn't a better solution just be to tax them so the price is higher than CFLs? I'd be willing to pay more for it for my two specialized cases, but most people would switch for the majority of their lighting needs.

I guess I can stock up on edisons.

[QuiteSeriously]

The Cree LR-6 is a good alternative (LED) for ceiling lights (6" cans). Cost is a bummer but they last 20-30 years. Good for high ceilings if you don't want to have to change them! The Pentagon uses Cree lighting, and recently WalMart has decided to use them in 650 stores.

[condor101]

LED's are safer and better.

The other light bulbs have mercury. I would never put that in my home.

[TrnsNtnl]

We need to look to LEDs or incandescent alternatives because compact florescent are neurologically disturbing for a large group of humanity who suffer from autism-add­-aspergers spectrum disorders and or irlen syndrome. http://irlen.com/index.php This is serious.

These light bulbs make people sick.

People need to think about the actual physical impact different wave lengths of light can have on an individual as those light wave lengths are passed into the brains visual pathway because that is also an environmental impact. Replacing old inefficient bulbs with ones that make people physically ill but save a little NRG and cost x5 more is not a good plan for humanities future. Its also a bit of greenwashing.

[CentralVA]

Very interesting post. Most people I know find it unpleasant to be in a room lit by these fluorescent bulbs.

[research]

It all depends on the phsophors used and the cirtuitr in the CFL. a good CFL with DC output and a 5500K sun temp and a good color rending index, beats the daylights out of incandenscnt, AND it's more efficient.

You have to try different makes and modles of CFL.

A good CFL should turn on instnatly, else return it.

about 20% of CFLs fail in the the first 3 months, make sure you can return those that fail.

LEDs will eventually replace CFL,s but right now the leds cost 10 times as much per lumen.

Use LEDs where the replacement cost is huge, like the tops of buildings, bridges etc, where they are already being designed in. Outdoor home lights probably should also be LED, since CFL's fail in cold weather.

Go online and find the best deals, learn what color temperature you prefer. They vary from 2700 to 6500k . The Sun outputs a 5500K color temperature. Find the "Color rendering" index.

CFLs can be far better than incandescents.

Do your research.

[Nikevich]

Within the range offered, the lower the color temperature, the warmer the light. Traditional fluorescent lights often have the standard cool white phosphor, which has a wretched lack of red; try to avoid them, if possible. Read the "box" before buying a light, to see whether it's a warm white.
I live in an apt. complex where there are no incandescents other than the little lamps inside the door buzzer pushbuttons. Indoor lighting is bi-pin narrow-u-shaped pluggable tubes with starters in the base. They have white plastic diffusers; all are ceiling-mounted.
When lamps failed, I bought replacements (made in the U.A.E.!) at a good hardware store, and read the boxes carefully to be sure I was getting a warm white. They are truly pleasant to live with, although somewhat yellowish.

[ceolas]

(continued)

5. Heat
Certainly ordinary bulbs work against air conditioning,
but people may prefer light bulbs for other reasons - and can switch them as they please.
Also, in many if not most parts,
when it's dark and lights come on around the year, room heating is used more often than cooling.
Heat benefit has been proven by several official institutions
http://www.ceolas.net/#li6x
Again, that means the supposed savings aren't there.

More extensive reasons why the savings aren't there
http://www.ceolas/net/#li13x onwards

People should simply use what lighting they like.
As explained on the website, not only do bans give marginal savings,
they are hardly justifiable,
either on overall energy grounds (there is no USA shortage of energy, imported oil is not used in electricity generation, renewable sources are being developed and nuclear can be developed)
or emission grounds (light bulbs don't give out CO2 - power stations do).

Even if felt necessary to target light bulbs,
taxation makes more sense, governments can use the tax income from cutting current 2 billlion sales, for home insulation schemes, renewable projects etc, reducing emissions more than any remaining light bulb use raises them.
Sales taxes on efficient lighting can also be lowered at the same time - and consumers keep choice.

Taxation is still wrong for reasons described,
it is simply a better option for all concerned, than fuel or energy efficiency based bans,
whether on cars, buildings. dishwashers, light bulbs or anything else.

[ceolas]

The idea of switching to CFLs is a
con-game to make money for manufacturers.

About the unpublicised industrial politics behind this:
http://www.ceolas.net/#li1ax

The mentioned savings here don't hold up:
1. Energy use
http://www.ceolas.net/#li15eux
CFL Power factor alone halves supposed savings, since power companies
have to put out twice the energy for typically unbalanced CFLs (balanced ones are expensive and rarer)
Of course breakages, malfunctions, losses give greater replacement cost for CFLs

2. "Households have over 30 light fixtures"
That's right - and why should they use CFLs everywhere?
Just use CFLs and save money is like saying "Eat only bananas and save money".
All lights have advantages and uses.
Energy savings (to the extent applicable) is only ONE advantage.
Besides, in rarely used rooms and lamps there are hardly going to be savings,
and the bulky CFLs may not fit smaller lamps anyway.
http://www.ceolas.net/#li8x

3. Long lifespan
Lights are lab tested in 3 hour cycles
CFLs are switched on-off more often ,and
every on-off switching decreases lifespan
Lifespans are typically just a couple of years
Note how manufacturers do not guarantee the lifespans
(Green Star just has 2 year warranty requirement IF there was some fault ie not just for ordinary usage)
http://www.ceolas.net/#li6x

4. Brightness
This decreases with lifespan,
and the suggested 13-60w equivalence doesnt hold up anyway, as shown by tests as described
http://www.ceolas.net/#li15rbx

(continued)

[Horus45]

Total BS!

I know from EXPERIENCE, not from reading websites that are against everything new!
My cost savings was very real!

[patiencepatriot]

Question: How many years will these bulbs be promoted as the "best thing" before the Mercury issue makes them the "worst thing"?

Part2: Are we really this stupid?

[ThinkCreeps]

Part 2: Apparently so.

Don't eat the bulbs. Go buy LEDs if you're worried

Oh, and consider the mass of mercury released burning coal to manufacture and power your incandescent bulbs over the lifetime of a CF.

[ceolas]

CFL mercury is much worse than coal power mercury
http://www.ceolas.net/#li198x
Coal power emissions were only ever a bigger problem where they both dominated and were untreated, which is not true anywhere in USA.
Also, a radical EPA mercury emission cutdown obligation is already underway as announced by new administrator Lisa Jackson early 2009
.

[alvdh1]

I have replaced nearly every light in my house with LED's. The upfront costs are high, but the long term savings, in my opinion, made the purchases worthwhile. The higher the incandescent wattage the quicker you will receive a return on investment via your utility bill. I have calculated a 2 1/2 year payback on the 75 watt replacements and 4 years on the 50 watt replacements.

We all purchased computers when the were selling at much higher prices only to see prices fall everytime we replaced them until now they cheap. If we hadn't kept replacing our outdated computers prices would have fallen much slower. The same is true of LED lighting. So, if you can afford them, then please do buy them and enjoy the environmental and utility benefits they offer today. Otherwise, the same complaints about costs will be echoed for years to come.

[roicog]

Actually even if you are poor there are ways to move the market if it is in fact as good as you say. Your payback is fictitious precisely because of the obscene profit margin you have suffered paying. You are a hero, but not a frugal one. We need awareness of how easy it is to assemble LED's into usable sources of light so that people will do that for each other facilitated by 'Ebays' but the competiion is subsidized and very cheap. That can change. This site could help more if moderated more transparently. It and your comment is most appreciated!