Compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) have grown in popularity over the past few years. CFLs not only save homeowners money, but they also help save the environment. It is time to throw traditional light bulbs out the window (not literally), and jump on the eco-bandwagon.
What Is a CFL Daylight Bulb?
A CFL, or compact florescent light, is a type of light bulb that uses an electrically excited gas rather than a metal filament to create light. Most people are familiar with florescent tube lights common in offices and schools, but now CFL bulbs are becoming more popular and have found their way into the home. CFLs can be identified by their unique shape, usually a spiral or tube, and by their large base, which contains the electronics needed to run the bulb.
CFL Daylight Bulbs vs. Regular CFL Bulbs
CFL daylight bulbs create more light and more heat than regular CFL bulbs. CFLs are available in four intensities: soft white, bright white, cool white and daylight. Soft white bulbs produce a light that is softer (toward the red end of the light spectrum), while daylight bulbs create a brighter blue light (toward the blue end of the light spectrum). The type of CLF bulb you choose will also affect the amount of energy, or electricity, needed to create light. Soft white CFL bulbs use less energy per hour than do daylight CFLs.
Benefits of Using CFL Bulbs
CFL bulbs not only last up to 15 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs, but use much less electricity, saving both energy and money over the lifetime of the bulb. Some estimates place the energy savings for a household that replaces all traditional light bulbs with CFLs at 12 percent a month, or $22.00 a year per bulb. Although CFL bulbs are typically more expensive than traditional light bulbs, the energy savings and increased life span of CFLs balance out the cost in the long run.
Helping the Environment
CFL bulbs not only use less energy per hour than traditional light bulbs, but they also produce light much more efficiently. One way you can test this is to compare the heat produced by a traditional incandescent light with the heat produced by a CFL. Traditional light bulbs waste up to 80 percent of the energy needed to make light by producing heat. In turn, only 20 percent of the electricity used by the bulb is transferred into light; the rest is wasted making the bulb dangerously hot.
Safety Concerns
CFL bulbs, like all florescent light bulbs, contain a small amount of mercury vapor within each tube. Although each bulb contains a very small amount of mercury (4 mg to 5 mg), concerns have been voiced about the disposal of CFL bulbs in landfills, and the possibility of CFLs contaminating the environment. On the same note, homeowners should also be aware of the presence of mercury in CFL bulbs, taking care not to drop or break CFLs indoors, and making sure to follow EPA recommendations for the proper disposal of CFL bulbs.
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