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Looking to save money on your electric bill? Change your light bulbs. The latest Energy Star bulbs use
one-third the energy of traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last up to 10 times longer.
By changing the bulb in just one fixture, the average homeowner can save $30 on their electric bill. Plus,
you'll be protecting the environment.
"The Department of Energy encourages all Americans to answer the call to be more energy efficient,"
said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. "Taking small and easy steps, such as replacing light bulbs with
newer, more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, can add up to real, substantive savings."
For maximum savings, replace the most frequently used bulbs in your home first.
Pay particular attention to overhead lighting in the kitchen, table and floor lamps in the living room, the
bathroom vanity and outdoor porch lights. These are typically the most-used fixtures in a home.
Change out just five of these high-use bulbs, and you can expect to save $60 a year on your electric bill.
For table and floor lamps, look for soft white compact CFLs. The popular coil-shaped bulbs are a good
choice for torchiere lamps. For lamps with shades that sit directly on the bulb, look for globe-style bulbs that
house the coil within a plastic cover.
CFL bulbs range in price from $4 a piece to $15 each depending on the style and wattage. Expect to
spend the most on specialty bulbs like flood lights for patio fixtures and small, sleek frosted bulbs for
chandeliers and sconces. For overhead lights, consider Energy Star full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic
natural sunlight. They bring out truer colors and help reduce eyestrain, so they're perfect in kitchens, home
offices, bathrooms, workshops and other areas where you do a lot of detail work. They've also been shown
to help beat fatigue and the winter blues. Expect to spend more on full-spectrum lighting. Prices start at $20
per bulb, but the benefit may well be worth the extra cost.
When shopping, keep in mind that the new Energy Star bulbs shine brighter than their incandescent
counterparts. A 15-watt CFL bulb puts out the same light as a 60-watt incandescent. If you're used to a
100-watt incandescent opt for a 30-watt compact fluorescent.
Manufacturers include product equivalency information on the packaging, so check the fine print to make
sure you get the right amount of light.
Compact fluorescent lights also take longer to reach full brightness. Energy Star CFL bulbs will turn on in
less than a second and reach 80 percent of their full brightness within 3 minutes. Some manufacturers offer
"instant on" bulbs. The trade-off is that they might not last as long.
Either way, you're still saving money and the environment.
Bulbs that have earned the government's Energy Star label for energy efficiency provide bright, warm
light but use two-thirds less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Less energy used means less energy produced, and less demand means fewer greenhouse gas
emissions.
If every American household changed just one light bulb to an Energy Star bulb, it would provide enough
power to light more than 2.5 million homes -- and each homeowner would prevent the release of more than
450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
By reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, homeowners are helping to protect the
environment from the risks of global climate change.
"Saving energy and saving money just makes sense," said Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By encouraging smart energy decisions, we are getting these lights off
the store shelves and into people's homes."
one-third the energy of traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last up to 10 times longer.
By changing the bulb in just one fixture, the average homeowner can save $30 on their electric bill. Plus,
you'll be protecting the environment.
"The Department of Energy encourages all Americans to answer the call to be more energy efficient,"
said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. "Taking small and easy steps, such as replacing light bulbs with
newer, more efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, can add up to real, substantive savings."
For maximum savings, replace the most frequently used bulbs in your home first.
Pay particular attention to overhead lighting in the kitchen, table and floor lamps in the living room, the
bathroom vanity and outdoor porch lights. These are typically the most-used fixtures in a home.
Change out just five of these high-use bulbs, and you can expect to save $60 a year on your electric bill.
For table and floor lamps, look for soft white compact CFLs. The popular coil-shaped bulbs are a good
choice for torchiere lamps. For lamps with shades that sit directly on the bulb, look for globe-style bulbs that
house the coil within a plastic cover.
CFL bulbs range in price from $4 a piece to $15 each depending on the style and wattage. Expect to
spend the most on specialty bulbs like flood lights for patio fixtures and small, sleek frosted bulbs for
chandeliers and sconces. For overhead lights, consider Energy Star full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic
natural sunlight. They bring out truer colors and help reduce eyestrain, so they're perfect in kitchens, home
offices, bathrooms, workshops and other areas where you do a lot of detail work. They've also been shown
to help beat fatigue and the winter blues. Expect to spend more on full-spectrum lighting. Prices start at $20
per bulb, but the benefit may well be worth the extra cost.
When shopping, keep in mind that the new Energy Star bulbs shine brighter than their incandescent
counterparts. A 15-watt CFL bulb puts out the same light as a 60-watt incandescent. If you're used to a
100-watt incandescent opt for a 30-watt compact fluorescent.
Manufacturers include product equivalency information on the packaging, so check the fine print to make
sure you get the right amount of light.
Compact fluorescent lights also take longer to reach full brightness. Energy Star CFL bulbs will turn on in
less than a second and reach 80 percent of their full brightness within 3 minutes. Some manufacturers offer
"instant on" bulbs. The trade-off is that they might not last as long.
Either way, you're still saving money and the environment.
Bulbs that have earned the government's Energy Star label for energy efficiency provide bright, warm
light but use two-thirds less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Less energy used means less energy produced, and less demand means fewer greenhouse gas
emissions.
If every American household changed just one light bulb to an Energy Star bulb, it would provide enough
power to light more than 2.5 million homes -- and each homeowner would prevent the release of more than
450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
By reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, homeowners are helping to protect the
environment from the risks of global climate change.
"Saving energy and saving money just makes sense," said Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "By encouraging smart energy decisions, we are getting these lights off
the store shelves and into people's homes."
| Written by Chandra Orr. All Rights Reserved. Published September 2007 by The Homesteader - York County & Lancaster County, South Carolina, Edition. |
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