Lights.com—Fluorescent Lighting
Fluorescent lighting with compact bulbs can save you money and energy. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs) offer several significant advantages. CFBs use 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light. Also, these bulbs last ten times longer. The life of a CFB is up to 10,000 per bulb, compared to less than 1,000 hours for an incandescent.
Compact fluorescent lighting options are more expensive to purchase, but they can pay for themselves in energy savings in about two years. They will also last for two more years. For example, if you replace one 60-watt incandescent with a 15-watt fluorescent and use it six hours a day, you could save more than $40 over the 4 year life of the bulb.
CFBs are available in a large variety of shapes and sizes. You should have no problems finding bulbs to fit your fluorescent lighting fixtures. If you have a unique or unusually-shaped lamp or fixture, however, take the existing bulb along to the store to compare sizes.
More on Fluorescent Lighting with Compact Bulbs
CFBs are great to install in hard-to-reach areas, such as hallways, closets, vaulted ceilings, since they last such a long time, you will not have to climb a ladder again for years. Also, when installing CFBs, make sure to read the package carefully for their rating because most of these bulbs are rated for outdoor use.
