Five Reasons to Reconsider CFLs

The CFL light bulb is an interesting product.  It has been around in the mainstream for around 10 years, yet continues to be as misunderstood by some as it is revered by others.

And to top it off, it has become a bit of a political lightning rod in the USA as a symbol of everything from global warming conspiracy to government intrusion.

Like many products with a lot of potential, corporate marketers have played up the best of this potential - especially long life and low energy consumption.  Those on the other side of the issue complain about harsh light, overblown life expectancy claims, and price, and mercury content.

Today we'll look at five reasons to reconsider CFLs for use in your home.

1. CFL Bulbs Do Last Longer Than Incandescents

The only catch here is that they may NOT last as long if you use them in places where you frequently turn the lights on and off, like a closet, pantry, or bathroom.

And like any product, there will be a few "duds" in the bunch that suffer an early death. Be sure to purchase name brand CFLs, like GE and EcoSmart, and check their warranties.

2. CFL Lighting (Color Temperature) Has Improved

When CFLs first came out, the temperature of the light they cast was generally cold and blue tinged. And even as color temperature improved, many consumers didn't understand the difference between a "daylight" bulb and a "soft white" bulb. After all, daylight sounds more natural than "soft white", but in reality soft white is closer to what incandescent provides.

In most residential settings, you will want a soft white bulb that produces a color temperature of 2700 degrees Kelvin (K). You may be surprised at how pleasing this light color is.

3. CFL Prices Have Dropped

Mass production has lead to economies of scale, and CFL prices have dropped significantly. GE 60 Watt Replacements are now under $1 each. Flood lights for recessed cans can be purchased for $3 or $4.

While incandescents are still much cheaper, as you'll see, it is very short sighted to not consider energy savings.

4. A $7.50 Investment Can Save You Big

Think of CFLs like a small investment.  If you purchase those 8 GE 60 Watt Replacements for $7.50, next locate your 8 most highly used 60 watt bulbs and replace them. Maybe even try replacing a 75 watt or 100 watt bulb and see if you can "get by" on the lower watt CFL.

In a typical house, if you can replace six 60 watt bulbs, one 75 watt bulb, and one 100 watt bulb with these 13 watt CFLs, and assume each of those bulbs runs for just 60 minutes a day, you'd save $19.66 in one year (assuming a typical 12.5 cents per KwH)!

Now consider if you can locate bulbs that you run much longer - perhaps in a living room, dining room, or office. Perhaps even your outdoor lights that run all night. If that average run time of the bulbs you replace is 2 hours, you're now looking at an annual savings of $39.33 a year!

5. Bulb Performance Is Improving

Just a few years ago it was common to have CFL bulbs that would not illuminate for a second or two after turning on the switch, and then it might take 90 seconds or more for them to 'warm up' and produce enough light.

These performance problems have greatly been reduced, with most name brands having 'instant-on' performance, and producing more light quicker. CFLs do still take 30 to 60 seconds to produce close to full light, but even that performance has improved.

In my mind, that $40 savings on a $7.50 investment is enough for me to live with that minor inconvenience of a few seconds of dim light.

Read More About CFL Light Bulbs

Be sure to check out CFLs and You - How To Save $300 A Year for much more information on CFL pros and cons.