Using CFLs Will Save You As Much As 66% In Energy Costs
Hi Folks,
For most homes in developed countries, lighting alone accounts for 9% of our total energy costs. For other parts of the world, it is much higher. Thus, using energy efficient lighting is a must for saving energy.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are very efficient, using 66% less energy than conventional light bulbs. Just by changing from incandescent bulbs to CFLs could reduce electrical consumption up to 7%.
When compared to regular light bulbs, CFLs give the same amount of light for less power and while they have a higher purchase price than incandescents, CFLs have a longer life (approximately 12 times that 0f incandescent bulbs – about 11,000 hours), enough to save $30 in electrical costs during the bulbs lifetime.
A recent article claimed that if a household changes 30 bulbs in their home, investing approximately $90, the money saved in the span of five years would be between $500 and $1,500 depending on the area’s electrical costs. For commercial buildings and other larger establishments, the savings would be even greater. An average CFL at 75 watts could save $22 dollars in direct energy costs per year. If that is multiplied by the number of light bulbs in a building, and include the cost of labor that could be saved from not having to change light bulbs as often, the savings could rise exponentially. True, there is a capital investment of $2.00 to $3.00 per bulb, however that would be recovered in a short time from the money saved.
Some manufacturers of CFLs apply a titanium dioxide coating to their bulb. This is because titanium dioxide is claimed to neutralize bacteria, odors and molds. Other manufacturers of CFLs apply a luminous coating to their bulbs for the purpose of luminescence after the CFL is turned off. The idea behind this is that a little light could still remain, even for a short time, in case of power failures and accidents.
Because carbon fluorescent lamps do not emit as much heat as incandescent bulbs, there is less work for air conditioners in cooling the room.
Surely there must be a downside.
If this could be called a downside, CFLs behave differently from ordinary incandescent bulbs. For one thing, it takes longer for a CFL to reach its full brightness depending on the temperature of the room. The colder the room, the longer it takes for the bulb to reach full brightness. CFLs also give off their brightest light when first installed and begin to dull gradually, giving off less light as they age. A CFL is expected to reduce in brightness by 20% during its lifetime.
Because most of the fuel used to power our homes, industries, vehicles, etc is non-renewable, saving energy has become of the utmost importance today. This is why that even in the field of lighting, research continues to search for ways to reduce the cost of lighting our homes and businesses. Solid state lighting, for example, is widely used in traffic lights, however this technology is currently too expensive for domestic use.
For now, though, saving energy by changing our incandescent bulbs for CFLs is a step in the right direction.
Woody
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