Anyone Know About Electric/New Energy Saving Bulbs?

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses experiences and opinions regarding the use of energy-saving spiral fluorescent bulbs compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. Participants share their thoughts on bulb brightness, energy consumption, and the impact on utility bills.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based

Main Points Raised

  • One participant is transitioning to energy-saving bulbs and questions if they can use higher wattage bulbs due to lower heat output.
  • Another participant mentions that their fixture is rated for the current the bulb draws and suggests using brighter compact fluorescent bulbs.
  • Several users note that energy-saving bulbs take time to reach full brightness, which some find preferable in certain situations.
  • One participant shares that they have not noticed a difference in their utility bill despite switching to energy-saving bulbs.
  • Another participant mentions that while the bulbs are more expensive upfront, they may save money in the long run due to their longevity.
  • One participant expresses concern about multiple bulbs burning out within a short period, questioning if it relates to wattage or usage frequency.
  • Several participants discuss their experiences with electric bills, with some noting high costs and others expressing surprise at their neighbors' lower bills.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ regarding the impact of energy-saving bulbs on utility bills, with some participants not noticing a change while others suggest potential long-term savings. There is no clear consensus on the effectiveness of these bulbs in reducing costs.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences with energy-saving bulbs in various fixtures and settings, highlighting individual circumstances that may affect their views on energy consumption and bulb performance.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants considering a switch to energy-saving bulbs or those interested in the practical experiences of others regarding lighting options may find this discussion relevant.

My husband is one and has been for 15 years!!;) LOL
 
Carissidy said:
My husband is one and has been for 15 years!!;) LOL
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LOL :D I'd ask him to come fix my house but he probably never wants to come here again LOL!
 
LOL you have too many problems (jk) and you couldn't afford him any way;)
 
kaceyleigh2 said:
We have been gradual switching over to CFL's. One thing I noticed is they last for a really long time! We used to have to switch the lightbulb in our garage every other week or so and we haven't had to change them over once since we switched and it was awhile ago!
One thing I did see on the news that you might want to beware of is if they break. You need to take extra precautions on how you handle anddispose of the lightbulb. I cannot remember all the details (but I'm sure you could find it somewhere on the web). I do remember that you should wear gloves, you should not vacuum up the glass and you have to put them in a separate bag to dispose of them.
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just checked with DH about the disposal question-- it's because florescent bulbs/tubes have mercury in them. Hardly environmentally friendly. That's why you need to take them to an approved disposal facility when you throw them out, so they can process them to prevent the mercury from getting into groundwater and landfills.
 
Yeah, we stated the heat issues earlier...I missed the disposal question until Ann just answered it above. Her DH is right, the mercury in the bulbs is what presents a disposal issue.

They have been trying to reduce the amount of mercury in them over the years, but it still exists.

Same caution and disposal applies to flourescent lights you may have...aquarium lights (we have this issue at work if one breaks), and other similar lights.

You can find more information on disposal at Home : ENERGY STAR
 
Janet where up north are you from?
 
We have switched all of our lightbulbs to the new ones in all three bathrooms, and i didn't notice much as far as the electric bill, but then, we don't leave our bathroom lights on that much.

The one thing we did start doing that I have noticed a difference in our bill is unplugging electrical items when they aren't in use. I heard on some show (?) that electronics, even while off, while still draw 50% on the electricity they do when on just because they're plugged in. So, now all entertainment items are on strips and that one plug is unplugged when not in use. BIG difference in our electric bill.
 
That's a good point, and the entertainment items (TV, VCR, DVD player, DVR) are the worst offenders for drawing power because they're not completely off, they're in a standby state so that they can receive the signal from the remote.
 
I think it is awful that we can be TOLD what kind of bulbs we have to have in our house. Where is our freedom of choice in this?

I am all for saving energy but I think it is ridiculous that they are doing away with one type so we will have to go to another type of bulb.

If our government would spend more time of stamping out drugs and drinking that would solve a lot more problems that trying to tell me what kind of bulb to use that we will end up having to change again b/c of the disposal issues!
 
Teresa Lynn said:
we're ecstatic when we keep it under $1,000 in the summer we have had them at $1,250.
All our neighbors water bills are under $30 mine hovers at $100
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Wow! You must have a large house. I would die if we had a bill like that!
 
Carissidy said:
Janet where up north are you from?
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Sorry, went to bed after my last post - tired after getting through DD's homework! Amazing what they have in 1st grade! I though Kindergarten was bad!

Anyway, northern WI (up north from where I was born and raised). I've never been to Maine yet, but have always heard it is beautiful there!
 
tx_deputyswife said:
We have switched all of our lightbulbs to the new ones in all three bathrooms, and i didn't notice much as far as the electric bill, but then, we don't leave our bathroom lights on that much.

The one thing we did start doing that I have noticed a difference in our bill is unplugging electrical items when they aren't in use. I heard on some show (?) that electronics, even while off, while still draw 50% on the electricity they do when on just because they're plugged in. So, now all entertainment items are on strips and that one plug is unplugged when not in use. BIG difference in our electric bill.
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You'd DIE if you saw our bedroom - it drives me nuts, but not much I can do...DH has 3 - count them 3 power strips under his nightstand...we have 2 radios plugged in, 2 pagers, a portable scanner, a house scanner, a weather radio, the phone, the answering machine, the bedroom light and who knows what else!!!!

It's not like we can "choose" to shut any off...they all have to charge O/N for use the next day... I do shut off the scanner when he is out of town because I can't stand the constant chatter...if I'm needed, my pager will go off, who cares what everyone else is doing...
 
janetupnorth said:
You'd DIE if you saw our bedroom - it drives me nuts, but not much I can do...DH has 3 - count them 3 power strips under his nightstand...we have 2 radios plugged in, 2 pagers, a portable scanner, a house scanner, a weather radio, the phone, the answering machine, the bedroom light and who knows what else!!!!

It's not like we can "choose" to shut any off...they all have to charge O/N for use the next day... I do shut off the scanner when he is out of town because I can't stand the constant chatter...if I'm needed, my pager will go off, who cares what everyone else is doing...
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LOL It probably would be comparable to the setup my dh has in our master closet for all of his duty gear. Well partially anyway - his pagers don't charge, thank goodness! I do have all of his charger bases set up on power strips, so when he leaves for work with the gear, he can just flip off the power strip. Then turn it on when he comes home so it can charge overnight. Thankfully, we do not have any scanners - that constant noise makes me mental (ok, more so!).
 
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