Energy Saving Light Bulbs

Saving Money and the Environment with Low Energy Lights and Light Fittings

Although oil prices have dipped, they are still hovering close to $120 a barrel. With utilities raising power prices, it has become imperative for people to look energy saving products for their homes.

EDF Energy, which is among the largest home and business energy suppliers in the UK, has already upped power prices by 17% and other utilities are set to follow suit. One way to reduce energy bills is by using energy saving light bulbs.

Saving Money and the Environment with Low Energy Lights and Light Fittings

Although oil prices have dipped, they are still hovering close to $120 a barrel. With utilities raising power prices, it has become imperative for people to look energy saving products for their homes.

EDF Energy, which is among the largest home and business energy suppliers in the UK, has already upped power prices by 17% and other utilities are set to follow suit. One way to reduce energy bills is by using energy saving light bulbs.

Installing light bulbs and light fittings that help save energy is a bright idea, considering that the double benefit they offer. Energy saving light bulbs reduce energy usage by as much as 80% as compared to standard light bulbs, while emitting less carbon-dioxide. Apart from being environment friendly, energy saving bulbs or compact fluorescent lights (CFL) last up to ten times longer than standard bulbs.

Ever since CFLs were invented, technology has helped to drastically change their appearance from bulky to stylish. Just like standard bulbs, these products are now available in a wide range of fittings, shapes and sizes. While earlier CFLs would emit harsh, cold light, with changing technology, this aspect of these light bulbs has also changed to warm and soft.

Low energy light fittings contain a ballast or transformer fitted into the base, which controls the supply of electricity to the bulb. It allows a gust of power to pass through till the bulb lights up, following which the electricity flow is held at a minimal level.

Depending on the number of hours in a day that a bulb is kept on, one can save up to £6 per year by replacing merely one standard light bulb with a CFL. Savings could exceed £45 per year by using CFLs throughout the home. Moreover, since energy saving light bulbs last longer, one has the potential to save approximately £40 during its lifetime, according to UK-based Energy Saving Trust.

If every American home replaces only five of their most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with energy saving bulbs, the nation can save approximately $8 billion every year in energy costs, apart from preventing greenhouse gas emission equivalent to that emitted from nearly ten million cars, according to Energy Star.

There are certain precautions one must take while using CFLs:

 

• CFLs contain mercury and should be disposed off properly.
• Dimmers and three-way socket fixtures warrant different CFLs.
• The lumen rating must be checked to identify the bulb one needs. The higher the lumen rating, which is written on the CFLs, the greater is the light output.