Latest Home Improvement, Renovation & Remodeling Trends

(The light bulb - not a symbol for “good idea” anymore)

“If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to
the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.”

from - ENERGY STAR website:

These “qualified light bulbs” are called compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFL’s, and come in many shapes and sizes. For the most part they are designed to replace the average light bulb and fit into the same receptacle as the incandescent bulbs. They also radiate a different light spectrum from that of incandescent lamps which, at first, gave them a dull light with poor coverage. Within the last few years advances in technology have given CFL’s the title of the best “soft white” lights available.

Costs More - Last Longer

Buying a CFL is higher than that of the normal bulb with the same light rating but this money definitely comes back in energy savings and replacement costs over the CFL’s lifetime. Because compared to regular light bulbs CFL’s are rated for less energy use and have a longer lifespan. In fact the U.S. government agency states that one CFL can save over $30 in electricity costs over the lamp’s lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp and save 2000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases.

ENERGY STAR’s statistics:

• ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
• Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime.
• Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they’re safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.

Where to use CFL’s in your home

Matching the right CFL to the right kind of fixture helps ensure that it will perform properly and last a long time.

• Open Fixtures: These are in areas that allow airflow, such as table and floor lamps, wall sconces, pendants, and outdoor fixtures.
• Recessed Fixtures: Use reflector CFL’s because the common spiral will not distribute light as well.
• Dimmer Switches: Here you’ll need a special CFL with dimmer capabilities. These lights usually have to be “charged” for a few hours at the highest selection before dimming. The effect is not as good as the the regular incandescents but this is being improved.
• Lumen Rating: To find the right CFL use this number. The higher the lumen rating, the greater the light output. Your hardware store will have guides to help you choose the right light.

Environmental Concerns

Mercury content is the one drawback but CFL’s but, used carefully, should never pose a problem. In fact U.S. lighting manufacturer members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have made a voluntary commitment to cap the amount of mercury used in CFLs of less than 25 watts at 5 milligrams (mg) per unit. The total mercury content of CFLs that use 25 to 40 watts of electricity will be capped at 6 mg per unit.

When the bulbs have finished their life they should be sent to a recycling facility to clear the mercury vapor. The European Union has already implemented this program.