CFL Facts

I have been asked on more
than one occasion if it actually makes sense to switch out all the light bulbs
in a house to the new energy efficient bulbs.

Around 10-15% of every household’s energy usage is for lighting. This usage can
be dramatically reduced by swapping traditional bulbs (known as incandescent
bulbs) for energy-efficient bulbs.
Whenever a bulb needs replacing, always swap it for an energy-efficient bulb.
But the sooner you change, the better so it pays to swap even before your old
bulbs blow.

Energy-efficient bulbs are no longer the large and cumbersome objects they once
were. You can now buy them in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit almost all
light and lamp fittings/shades.

Most also now come on as fast as standard bulbs and provide the same quality
and level of lighting as a normal bulb – both common complaints about low
energy bulbs in the past. Low energy light bulbs use up to 80% less energy than
a traditional incandescent bulb while still emitting the same level of
lighting.

This is because the old incandescent bulbs waste up to 90% of their energy
through heat being emitted by the bulb rather than light. The low-energy bulbs
also last up to 10-12 times longer than traditional bulbs so, although the
initial shelf price of the low energy bulbs may be higher than traditional
bulbs, they more than pay for themselves over their lifetime.

Bulb disposal: Please remember to dispose of your used low energy light bulbs
safely and correctly. Similar to other items such as used batteries or printer
cartridges, CFL bulbs can contain materials which may be harmful to the
environment if simply placed in your normal waste bin and sent to landfill.
Always take care to dispose of your bulbs at a suitable recycling facility.
Home Depot recently started a CFL recycling program and you can read about it
here:
http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/pdf/CFL-RecyclingProgramRevised.pdf

Here is a spreadsheet showing the cost savings you could achieve by switching
from standard incandescent light bulbs to either Compact Flourescent or LED
light bulbs. The comparison is based on $.23 per KWh but you will need to plug
in your actual current cost for electricity which I think is closer to $.13 per
KWh in the Boston area http://www.productdose.com/LightBulb_Comparison.xls

Here is a simple Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Energy Savings Calculator that
will show just the energy savings that you can expect to achieve if you switch
over to CFL from incandescent. It does not factor in the cost of the bulbs but
it is helpful to know that the cost is dropping all the time and currently is about
$3 for a CFL that is equivalent to a 75 watt incandescent bulb.
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/guide/80/compact_fluorescent_light__cfl__energy_savings_calculator.html

David West is the owner
of Meadowview Construction, LLC. Meadowview Construction, LLC is a
design/build/cabinetry firm based in MA that is dedicated to helping homeowners
successfully remodel their homes without the typical headaches. Their remodeling
and cabinet-making experience come together in one place to help make the
entire process seamless and fun.
www.meadowviewconstruction.com