I was recently telling a friend, who was looking for ways to save money, that he should switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) from incandescents. A few months ago I had calculated that every 60 watt incandescent bulb you replace with a CFL could save you roughly $37 over the life of the bulb. My family switched to CFLs and we saw a noticeable drop in our electric bill.
My friend told me that he had tried CFLs in the past but found they didn't last as long as advertised, and sometimes didn't work at all. This weekend I came across an article in the NY Times: Compact Fluorescent Lights Draw Quality Complaints. The article highlighted two primary reasons for consumers dissatisfaction with CFLs:
Experts say the quality problems are compounded by poor package instructions. Using the bulbs incorrectly, such as by screwing low-end bulbs into fixtures where heat is prone to build up, can greatly shorten their lives.
Some experts who study the issue blame the government for the quality problems, saying an intensive federal push to lower the price essentially backfired by encouraging manufacturers to use cheap components.”
There's not much we can do about cheap components making their way into CFL bulbs. There is always going to be some failure rate to CFLs, maybe one out of ten bulbs is a dud, but if you were to factor in this failure rate into the total cost of CFLs, the 10% increase would hardly dent the superior return on investment CFLs provide. One tip is to keep your receipt, because most duds burn out almost immediately, and you can take them back for a refund.
Fortunately, consumers can reduce dissatisfaction from using CFL bulbs incorrectly by taking just a couple of minutes to learn more about CFLs. To help, Tom Zeller Jr. of the NY Times has put together an excellent short video that answers many of the primary questions surrounding CFLs.
Where Not to Use CFLs
CFLs are not the best choice for all situations. CFLs can take 1-3 minutes to fully light-up making them un-ideal choices for staircases, closets, or any place where you only have the light on for a short period of time. Many CFLs don't work in sockets that are dimmable, therefore it's important to check the box to see if the CFL is dimmable.
The number one reason for reduced lifespan of CFLs is heat. CFLs exhibit shorter lifespans in light fixtures and sockets where there is low air-flow and heat build-up such as recessed lighting. For these types of sockets it may be better to go with an incandescent or purchase a specially designed CFL for recessed lighting which we have done in our home.
CFL Light Quality
I've heard many people complain about the light quality of CFLs. This shouldn't really be an issue anymore. I have CFLs in my home office and the light they give off is the same warm light that incandescents give off. When evaluating which CFL to buy, you'll want to check out the Kelvin or K number listed on the packaging. CFLs with K numbers between 2700-3000 give off a soft bright light like incandescents. CFLs with K numbers between 3500-6000 give off a bright light. As you go up the K number scale the light gets bluish and closer to daylight.
By taking a little extra time to educate yourself on CFLs and by carefully reading the packaging you greatly reduce the risk of being disappointed. We discovered my friend had used his CFL in a dimmable light fixture which was most likely why it didn't last long. CFLs are one of the best investments around and I encourage everyone to try them out.
I was recently telling a friend, who was looking for ways to save money, that he should switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) from incandescents. A few months ago I had