COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFL)
Electric lighting consumes up to 25% of the average home energy budget. The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of a CFL bulb.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. They screw into standard lamp sockets, and give off light that looks just like the common incandescent bulbs - not like the fluorescent lighting we associate with factories and schools.
BENEFITS OF COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS
Efficiency: CFLs are four times more efficient and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. A 22 watt CFL has about the same light output as a 100 watt incandescent. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 50 - 80% less energy than incandescent light bulbs.
Savings: Although initially more expensive, you save money in the long run because CFLs use 1/3 the electricity and last up to 10 times as long as incandescent light bulbs. A single 18 watt CFL used in place of a 75 watt incandescent will save about 570 kWh over its lifetime. At 8 cents per kWh, that equates to a $45 savings.
Pollution Reduction: By replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL you can keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb. If everyone in the U.S. used energy-efficient lighting, we could retire 90 average size power plants. Saving electricity reduces CO2 emissions, sulfur oxide and high-level nuclear waste.
High-Quality Light: Newer Compact fluorescent light bulbs give a warm, inviting light instead of the "cool white" light of older fluorescents. They use rare earth phosphors for excellent color and warmth. New electronically ballasted CFLs don't flicker or hum.
Versatility: Compact fluorescent light bulbs can be applied nearly anywhere that incandescent lights are used. Energy-efficient CFLs can be used in recessed fixtures, table lamps, track lighting, ceiling fixtures and porch lights. 3-way CFLs are also now available for lamps with 3-way settings. Dimmable Compact fluorescent light bulbs are also available for lights using a dimmer switch.
CHOOSING A CFL LIGHT BULB
Compact fluorescent light bulbs come in many shapes and sizes. When purchasing CFLs, consult the seller for recommendations and consider the following:
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Choose the color temperature, if listed, that’s right for you; for example:
Approx. 2700K = Warm White (looks just like incandescent)
Approx. 5000K = Cool White (white/blue, often higher CRI)
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Choose the shape. CFLs are available in a variety of shapes to fit a range of lamps and lighting fixtures.
Match lumens to the incandescent light bulb being replaced. Lumens indicate the amount of light being generated. (Watts is a measure of energy use, not light strength.)
CFL BULB STYLES
Spiral Lamps
CFL bulbs designed as a continuous tube in a spiral shape which has similar outside shape and light casting qualities to a standard incandescent light bulbs. Spiral CFL bulbs are made in several sizes to fit most common fixtures.
Standard Lamps
CFL spiral lamps with a dome cover. They are designed to give the appearance of the traditional light bulb for consumers looking for the more familiar light bulb appearance. The glass diffuser provides a quality of light similar to the 'soft-white' type of incandescent bulbs.
Globe Lamps
Globe Compact fluorescent light bulbs are commonly used in bathroom vanity mirrors or open hanging lamps, and bare bulb applications. Bathroom vanities usually require multiple bulbs, which generate radiant heat. The CFL globe will reduce this heat buildup while saving energy. The glass diffuser provides a soft-white light.
Candelabra
The screw-in torpedo-shape and the small-base of this bulb is designed for smaller light fixtures throughout the house, from chandeliers to sconces. To use a smaller candelabra-based bulb in a regular socket, you can use a socket reducer, available at many hardware stores and home improvement centers.
Triple Tube Lamps
These CFLs have more tubing in a smaller area, which generates even more light in a shorter bulb. They pack high light output into a very small space and can be used in fixtures designed for incandescent bulbs, such as table lamps, reading lamps, open hanging lamps, and bare bulb applications.
Flood Lamps
Flood lamps are designed to be ideal for recessed and track lighting fixtures indoors and outdoors. They provide diffused, soft, white light, and generate less heat than will an incandescent flood or a halogen bulb.
BASE STYLES
Plug-in base: Plug-in base Compact fluorescent light bulbs have small plastic bases with two or four pins and are designed to be used with separate ballasts which are mounted in the fixture.
Screw-in base: These CFLs have the standard Edison-style base such as those found on incandescent light bulbs.
GU24: This base style is designed to replace the Edison socket and base to match the newest Energy Star requirements. Fixtures that use GU24 bulbs avoid backward compatibility with screw base bulbs which guarantees higher energy efficiency.
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