Energy Efficient Lighting: Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

People who are familiar with the term “energy efficient lighting” will immediately think of compact fluorescent bulbs or CFLs whenever they hear the term. CFLs are better options than standard incandescent bulbs as you can lower your Texas electricity bills and also help protect the environment. These lamps would be fantastic assets to have in any Texas home.

Energy efficiency initiatives are currently pushed forward across the nation and more so in this state. Texas consumers are given the power to choose their energy options but unless really cheap electricity is available in large, sustainable amounts, people should find more energy efficient ways to use power – and using CFLs would be a good place to start.

How Do Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Work?

Unlike standard incandescent bulbs that require metallic filaments to produce light, compact fluorescent lamps uses trace amount of mercury and special gases to create light. When electricity is passed through the lamp, the mercury becomes excited and will cause the gases to produce ultraviolet light. The UV light will then be converted by the fluorescent coating of the bulb’s glass to a glowing illumination that can light up any room.

The Benefits of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

The following describes the practical benefits people can get from their use of compact fluorescent bulbs.

* It has been estimated that if every American home replaces their standard light bulbs with CFLs, the electricity saved would be enough to light up over 3 million homes for a year. Compact fluorescent bulbs are designed to use 65% to 75% less Texas electricity than standard bulbs.

* Compact fluorescent bulbs were also designed to last up to 10 times longer than standard light bulbs. Longevity is one of the primary advantages of CFLs that makes it more practical to use in homes and offices.

* Considering that an average American home can have up to 30 light bulbs, the monetary savings that can be derived from their use would be quite considerable. You can get an estimate of how much Texas electricity savings you can have by counting how many lighting fixtures you and multiplying it with the potential savings you can get per bulb.

* The initial problems encountered with earlier fluorescent lamps is their flickering, but compact fluorescent bulbs now have improved light quality and produces a warmer light that is ideal for homes.
* Compact fluorescent bulbs are more expensive than standard incandescent bulbs but they will be more economical in the long run since these bulbs last ten times longer. However, the prices of CFLs have considerably gone down are retailed for as low as $1 to $2 per piece which is very economical to use.

* CFL lamps now come in different variants of sizes and shapes. This makes them ideal for a variety of lighting fixtures available. New dimmable CFL lamps are now available that makes them ideal for use with dimming light switches at homes

Compact fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient alternatives to the incandescent bulb that will give Texas electricity users not only an environmental friendly light source for their homes and businesses, but a source of illumination that will give them great savings on their energy bills as well.