Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Most people, when they look of savings, think of major purchases like cars and houses.  It doesn’t cross most people’s minds that the principles applied to these larger purchases can transfer easily to light bulbs.  You just need to know about them.

There are two basics types of light bulb: fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are the most commonly used because they are less expensive per bulb, but they do get pricier over time.

What Are Fluorescent Light Bulbs?
These are energy saving bulbs that screw into regular light sockets or lighting fixture.  These bulbs last four to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs and use much less energy.  They are more expensive initially, but they last longer, thus saving you money in the long run (as they save energy).  This means that typical homeowners and renters will do better with fluorescent bulbs.

The News About Noise
The first generation of fluorescent light bulbs used magnetic ballasts rather than electronic, which meant that it took longer for the charge to get to the bulb, which caused to flicker and buzz as it took time to warm up.  Since then, technology has progressed, so now it takes them a lot less time to start up, meaning not as much noise.

Eco-Friendliness
Because fluorescent bulbs use less energy and last longer, there isn’t as much environmental waste.  With the average incandescent bulb, you use up 500 to 2,000 hours of life before you have to change the bulb.  With fluorescent bulbs, you use up to 8,000. The only thing to keep in mind that fluorescent bulbs use mercury, so you’ll want to recycle them.  You can do this at your local recycling center or you can return them to the store you purchased them from so they can recycle them for you.  Overall, though, it has the energy of up to 15 bulbs, so not only will you be saving money, but you’ll also be helping the environment.  It’s win-win!