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Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs)

The fluorescent bulbs of today are a far cry from those loudly buzzing, sterile white tubes seen in offices and hospitals in the 80's. Now available in a wide range of styles and "color temperatures," eco-friendly compact fluorescent lamps (aka CFLs) are designed for the home and screw into many of the medium socket and candelabra lamps sold on our site. Use them in ceiling fixtures, sconces, chandeliers and other light fixtures.

CFLs, An Energy Efficient Solution

Very simply put, CFLs generate light when electrons from the bulb's ballast collide with mercury vapor throughout the bulb's length, which in turn stimulates a phosphor coating on the inside of the glass. The result is a steady luminescence that is also incredibly energy-efficient, because more energy is spent on producing light (measured in lumens) and less is wasted on producing heat! This is why CFLs stay cooler to the touch than an incandescent bulb, and why a low-watt CFL brightens a room with the same intensity of a high watt incandescent bulb. Incandescent bulbs and their CFL equivalent are as follows:

Incandescent Bulb CFL
60 Watts13-18 Watts
75 Watts18-22 Watts
100 Watts23-28 Watts
150 Watts30-38 Watts

But it gets even better! Because compact fluorescent lamps use about 66% less energy than incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light, you can save up to $45 dollars a year when you choose an 18 watt CFL over a 75 watt incandescent bulb. Within the first 500 hours of use, your bulb has made up for it's initially higher price. What's more, fluorescent compact bulbs last an average of 10 to 15 times longer than a standard filament bulb, putting an end to chronic bulb replacement and halting the surge of burnt out bulbs entering our landfills. And since CFL's expend less energy, there is less demand on electric power plants that burn polluting fossil fuels. Amazingly, swapping out ONE incandescent bulb with a CFL will keep half a ton of CO2 out of the air for the CFL's lifetime! You can make a positive impact on the environment simply by screwing in a CFL.

One White Spectrum = Many Moods

CFLs don't come in just one white tone anymore. A full white spectrum is available to consumers, ranging from warm to cool whites. Manufacturers use four digit numbers to represent the CFL's "color temperature," but don't worry-the bulb does not actually reach this temperature, or shades across the nation would be combusting at the flick of a switch. The higher this temperature, quantified in Kelvin, the bluer the cast.

  • "Daylight" (6400 Kelvin) CFLs have a bluer tinge than "cool whites."
  • A "cool white" bulb (4100 Kelvin) is generally cheaper, has a slight bluish cast and makes colors look more washed out than they are.
  • A "warm white" (2700 Kelvin) is more expensive, makes colors look richer than they may normally be and can be used for general lighting. "Warm white" CFLs most capture the look and mood of an incandescent bulb, for a homey atmosphere.
  • "Full spectrum" CFLs most accurately represent colors within the home as they are, and are brighter to the eye than any other option.
  • Black light CFLs are available for Halloween and other special occasions.
  • Colored CFLs like red, green and pink are used for romantic settings or novelty-related events.
  • Yellow CFLs are popular for use outside in shaded and covered areas, since insects aren't attracted to their glow.

Proper CFL Disposal

Once a CFL is spent, it's legal to throw it in the trash; however, these energy-efficient bulbs do contain trace amounts of mercury vapor. If they are sent to an incinerator, this mercury could enter the atmosphere. Instead, collect your CFLs for your community household hazardous waste collection for treatment and recycling; if a bulb breaks, take care not to inhale the vapor and promptly wipe up pieces with a wet rag. Toss everything, including the rag, into a plastic bag for proper disposal. It's important to note that the overall benefits of a CFL's energy-saving operation far outweigh any risk trace amounts of mercury vapor in the bulb may pose to landfills.

Dimmable CFLs and Ballasts

Until recently, one downside to using CFLs was their incompatibility with dimmers. Today, there are some CFLs that are compatible with dimmer switches. These are usually of the 4-pin, electronic ballast variety. Bulbs with electronic ballasts are more expensive, but they illuminate instantly and maintain quiet operation. The other common CFL ballast is known as a magnetic "core and coil," which is less expensive to purchase, but is heavier, requires a few seconds to properly light and are traditionally 2-pin.

When purchasing your CFL, you can buy one piece bulbs that include both the ballast and bulb, or 'modular' bulbs that come with the ballast and bulb as two separate items. These modular sets are more expensive initially, but you only need to replace the bulb upon burn out.

Types of CFLs

Circline - Shaped in a circle; generally used in contemporary and modern design fixtures.

Twin Tube Lamps - Composed of two side-by-side tubes, these CFLs are used in lamps, ceiling fixtures, task lights and wall fixtures.

Quad Tube Lamps - Similar to the twin tube lamps, but with a compact size that makes them ideal for accent lamps and smaller fixtures. These are also known as Double Biax or PL Clusters.

Triple Biax Lamps - A big light in a small package. Like the Quad Tube Lamp, these can also fit well into lamps and smaller fixtures.

Spiral Lamps - A very popular choice among homeowners, this bulb's spiral tube forms a silhouette similar to a regular incandescent bulb.

F Lamps - Think of F Lamps like Quad Tubes, except the pairs are side by side. Ideal for recessed lights and task lights like reading lamps

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