Change Your Light Bulbs for Big Savings

Buying a light bulb isn’t as easy as it used to be. In the old days all you had to choose was the wattage, which usually depended on your light fixture. I recently went shopping for light bulbs and found lots of new products. But what are they all?  Here’s a quick primer.

Incandescent bulbs are the typical round bulbs that look like, well, a light bulb. They produce a warm, flattering light and can be dimmed. But they don’t last long and they eat up electricity, so they’re not a popular choice for environmentally minded folks.

Halogen bulbs are 10 to 40 percent more efficient that incandescent bulbs and they last at least twice as long. They can also be dimmed. Dimming a light saves electricity, so if you don’t have dimmers, put them in. It’s not a difficult job.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are recognizable by their swirls. They’re 75 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer. Some people don’t like the light they emit, but the newer, improved bulbs give off light that is very similar to incandescent. A constant complaint is that you have to wait a couple of minutes for them to warm up before they give off bright light. Most CFLs are not dimmable and they don’t like being turned on and off frequently: it shortens their life span. So don’t use them in closets, pantries or bathrooms.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can last for thousands of hours and are even more efficient. LEDs have been used for many years in commercial buildings and they will soon be more readily available for residential use.

What light bulbs are you using in your home? Switching to energy efficient bulbs could save you a bundle.

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