How Many Mamas and Papas does it take to change a Light Bulb?

Once upon a time, when a light bulb burned out, you went to the store, bought a new bulb, turned on the switch, and “voila”, all was good. Now, it seems like you need to know a NASA scientist to get a “detailed flight plan” before you can begin. Controls like the “right” lumens, watts, color and size all seem to come into play. Why does it have to be so difficult to save a few dollars and help the environment?

First, a few encouraging facts about compact florescent (CFL) bulbs. 1. They give off up to 4 times the light for the same amount of electricity as an incandescent bulb; and 2. They last about 10 times longer – on average 7 to 10 years longer!! Is the flight training beginning to seem worth it? The incandescent bulb was invented in the late 1800s and the technology for these bulbs is much the same now as it was then. The compact florescent is a step into the 21^st century, and a big leap towards reducing our massive demand for and consumption of electricity, yet without significant compromise. An excellent North American solution, wouldn’t you say?! According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American household replaced just “three 60 watt incandescent bulbs with CFL’s”, the savings over the lifetime of those CFL bulbs would be equivalent to taking 3.5 million cars off the road!

A problem with the first mass produced CFL’s, in the rush to capitalize on the “quest to go “green” and save money, was that manufacturers brought out CFL’s that didn’t live up to their reputation or all the hype; frustrating and turning off may consumers. If that sounds like you, we urge you to try again. In the last two years alone the quality of CFLs, as well as their special features, ie. “dimmable and three way varieties” including a wider variety of choices in size, shape and price point have made the bulbs more attractive to consumers and more USER friendly. Also, your local “hardware guy or gal” should now be better informed, and be able to point you to the right bulb for the right socket!

Last but not least, in the USA look for the “energy star” label on all electrical items, including CFLs. Around since 1993, Energy Star is a US government backed symbol for energy efficiency, which helps consumers by identifying products that save energy and help protect the environment.

Below is an easy to follow buyers guide, to make choosing a CFL, easier:

Choosing the right bulb:

Picking the correct WATTAGE! (Rule of thumb, CFL watts roughly ¼ that of the an incandescent bulb watt)

(Source: Energy Star Purchase Guide)

A few final words of advice. With some CFL bulbs, in particular outside floodlights, the part of the bulb below the glass which screws into the socket, can be thicker than the same part of an old fashion incandescent. This can result in a faulty “connection” with the socket, causing it “not to work.” So before you switch out all the bulbs in a particular area in your house, take one of the old ones and compare the base size with the new CFL you plan to purchase. Manufacturers are getting better at this, but don’t get turned “off” by getting turned “on” to the wrong bulb. Last tip, CFL’s aren’t cheap, so don’t go for the “least expensive brand” remember “penny wise, pound foolish. “ CFL’s last up to 10 times longer. So, even if you spend 3x as much on one CFL compared to an incandescent bulb, you won’t need to replace near as often!

Questions? Let us know!

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