Energy Efficient Lighting

According to Energy Star, “If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.”  For this reason FLAME’s E3 program will be leaving a free Energy Star approved compact fluorescent light bulb at every evaluation and offering to change each bulb in the home.

Today’s compact fluorescent bulbs are much improved from versions bought by consumers in the early ‘90’s.  Bulbs then were too big for many fixtures, too expensive (nearly $25), and threw dim, unappealing light.  Not only are new bulbs smaller and cheaper but they also use one third the energy of incandescent bulbs and last up to nine years.  New compact fluorescent bulbs are so popular Walmart hopes to sell 100 million of them next year and a
California legislator proposed banning the sale of incandescent bulbs by 2012. 

At about 75% less energy usage than common incandescent bulbs and up to 10 times longer of a lifespan, compact fluorescent bulbs save the homeowner $30 or more during the life of the bulb.  Much of the energy saving is due to the fact that compact fluorescent bulbs give off 75% less heat.   

Take a look at this savings calculator to see the potential savings in your own home from using compact fluorescent bulbs.

Below you will find a chart of the sizes and shapes of new compact fluorescent bulbs as well as were each best fits in your home.