Save Money with CFLs: Compact Fluorescent Lamps

If your electric bill is too high, consider investing in CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps). I have been using them extensively for more than five years and I am pleased with their performance.

If you have tried these CFLs in the past and did not like the color of the light or the flickering, there is good news! Manufactures have made improvements in these areas. Today some models give off light with a very similar hue to the incandescent lamps we all grew up with, and do not have a noticeable flickering.

Most models will give you the same amount of light as an incandescent lamp for about ¼ the power consumption. As an example there are CFLs that consume 25 watts, but are as bright as an incandescent 100-watt bulb. You could save up to 75% of the lighting portion of your electric bill if you used CFLs exclusively. Realistically you would still have an incandescent bulb in you oven, and possibly your refrigerator. Any application where you would have the light on for less than 5 minutes at a time could reduce the life span of the lamp.

I have CFLs throughout my house and in five years time have not yet had to replace any of them. CFLs last far longer than incandescent bulbs, and that is one of their selling points. The reduced energy usage and the longer life offset the higher initial cost. Many incandescent bulbs have a life span of 750 to 1000 hours and I have had a few that blew out in less than a week. CFLs can last 6,000 to 15,000 hours.

There are a few negative points about CFLs that you may want to consider. Some models take a minute or two to reach full brightness. If you use CFLs outdoors in cold climates, it will start out very dim until it reaches operating temperature. Most recently manufactured CFLs will work at -15 degrees F, but again it will take time to reach full brightness. CFLs like all fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of mercury, and it is a good idea to dispose of them in an approved matter.

There are even more efficient lighting technologies that are going to become affordable in the near future. Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs can produce light even longer than CFLs, and do so with even less power consumption. Many traffic lights have been retrofitted with LEDs to reduce energy consumption, and allow for a battery to power the traffic lights during an extended power outage.