We have all heard the buzz lately on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, or CFL's, that are supposed to save you money utility bills. They use less watts to put out the same amount of light. Well, it occurred to me that not all of us know exactly how to use these, why to use these, and the real deal on the Mercury inside. So, as you know me, I went to research.
First, Incandescent Light Bulbs. The "Normal" Light Bulbs that we have used for years really work off of heat instead of light. Depending on what report you read the incandescent light bulb is 90-95% Heat and 5-10% Light. Thus making it a rather inefficient bulb that can heat up your room. If you are in the Southern part of the United States, that is probably one of the last things you want to do in the Summer.
These new Spiral Bulbs actually have their own Ballast in them. According to Wikipedia, these bulbs can save up to 2000 times their weight in Greenhouse Gases. On an equivalent 60 Watt Bulb it will only use 13 Watts thus using an average of 75% less electricity and saving money. Now, how much will you save? That is really hard to say because everyone has different household habits, but if you read the package it has a Dollar Amount. This dollar amount is based on using the bulb for 3 hours per day and usually at .10 per kwh. If you are in Houston, you probably pay WAY more than that. There are ways to make sure that you get the most bang for your buck. That is what I researched.
Here are a few things that you might not know:
- Use the bulbs in areas where you will have the light on for longer than 15 minutes at a time. The Restroom, for example, may not be the most effective place to use this type. Using these bulbs for less than 15 minutes at a time can shorten the life of them making your dollar not go as far.
- Do not use these bulbs in closed Fixtures such as Flush Mount lights in the Hallway. No air will get to it and it can shorten the life of the bulb or worst, cause it to get too hot.
- They make Outdoor CFL's for use at night. However, if you are in a region where the temperature stays below 41 Degrees for several weeks at a time, you may encounter problems with the bulb.
- You can not use this bulb if the light is connected to a Dimmer.
- They do make CFL bulbs now for 3-Way Lamps
With all positives there are negatives. The negative with these bulbs is that they contain a very small amount of Mercury inside. As little as 1 teaspoon of Mercury can contaminate Lake forever. There is a minute amount (appx. 5 mg) of Mercury in these bulbs which means that:
- If one breaks, you need to clean it up properly
- It is best not to send these bulbs on the Truck to the Landfill
I am going to place Helpful Links at the bottom of this post for more information on both of these topics.
So, these new funny looking bulbs, all in all are a great product and really can save money on your electric bill. Just be aware handle them properly.
Helpful Links for more information on Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs:
- Where can I send spent CFL Bulbs to be Recycled? Local Centers in US and Canada Also, your local Lowe's or Home Depot may have a drop.
- How should I clean up a Broken CFL? Mercury Cleanup
- Detailed Information on CFL's
- Detailed Information on Mercury Pollution
- My area is not on the Website of local Providers. What are my options? Light Bulb Recycling by Mail
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Wikipedia- This web page had an amazing amount of information on this topic. Outstanding!
The above Links are my Resources for this post with loads of other information regarding these bulbs. I changed out several in my house yesterday, 8 to be exact. I look forward to see how my Electric Bill Drops!
Thank You Maruchan313 on Flickr for the Wonderful Photo of this CFL Bulb!
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