Compact Fluorescent Bulbs - cheap lighting

There is a place for compact fluorescent bulbs. They provide a cheap source of lighting and are especially well suited for lights that you turn on and leave on.

These type of light bulbs are more expensive, but they cost much less to operate than a standard bulb and have a long life expectancy.

If you ever want to see just how efficient a fluorescent bulb is versus a standard incandescent bulb, just turn on one of each and lightly grip each bulb to see which one get hot first.

The heat you feel from each bulb represents its inefficiency - it uses electricity to produce light as well as heat.

Be sure to take your hand off the bulb that is heating up quickly or you will get a burn along with a lesson in light bulb efficiency.

In using compact fluorescent bulbs, you'll not want to install them everywhere. Only install them in places where you turn on the lights and leave them on for a long time. I suggest you install them in:

• reading lamps
• kitchen overhead lighting
• living room lighting
• lights associated with office space

These are places where you'll likely spend quite a bit of time reading, working, preparing food or relaxing, and it's worthwhile to have the fluorescent lighting there as a way to save energy.

Places where you'll not want to install the lights include:

• closets
• night stands (unless you read in bed)
• laundry rooms (unless you iron clothes)
• bathrooms
• hallways

Any location where a light is used briefly or for only a few minutes should have an incandescent bulb, not a fluorescent light. Fluorescent lights require a bit more energy to start, so if you're going to use them, put them in places where the light will be left on for roughly 15 minutes or longer before turning it off.

Done with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, back to Ways to Save Energy