Mar
So what is the big difference between compact fluorescent lights and traditional incandescent? Well, it seems that the differences go on and on forever so let’s consider the differences from an energy cost perspective. For a given light output, CFLs use between one fifth and one quarter of the power of an equivalent incandescent lamp (source). This is because typical incandescent bulbs convert only about 10% of the energy they consume into visible light while the remaining 90% becomes heat! By comparison CFLs waste only 30% of the energy they consume in the form of heat. But what does this really mean and how does it affect me? It means that you can often replace the typical 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 15 watt CFL and that, when installed throughout your house, will have a measurable affect on your monthly electric bill. But wait, there’s more! Since CFLs emit less heat, during summer months your air conditioning unit will have an easier job keeping the house cool.
Of course there are often trade-offs with every Energy Smart Idea we consider. CFLs are not the final solution to our energy consumption woes and they’re not appropriate in every situation. We’ll consider some of the down sides in another article.