I am so excited that we are nearing the end of replacing all of the light bulbs in our house from incandescents to CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs). This is not only helping us go green to to be environmentally friendly, but it helps us save on our electricity throughout the entire year. During the summer, we are doubly blessed by the CFL since it produces less heat than an incandescent which keeps our air conditioner from working overtime.
Things to know about CFL’s:
- Lighting accounts for nearly 20% of the average home’s electric bill
- Energy Star CFL’s use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs
- CFL’s last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs
- CFL’s provide a quick Return on Investment
There is an initial up-front cost involved with replacing your light bulbs, but it doesn’t have to be done all at once. I purchase Sylvania CFL’s at Aldi in a 3-pack for $4.99. That’s less than $2 for a bulb that lasts seven years (8000 hours) and uses 13 watts of energy instead of 60 watts. We purchased a pack of bulbs once or twice a month over the last several months, allowing us to gradually reach our goal of replacing all of our lights.
As with everything, there are some cons to using CFL’s. Because of the mercury contained in CFL’s, they should be properly disposed of through a recycling center. Some CFL’s should not be placed in recessed lighting fixtures (can lights, pot lights), or pendant lamps (where the bulb is base up). CFL’s not designed for outdoor use will not start in cold weather. The good news is that there are CFL’s available for recessed lighting situations, and outdoor use.