To hook homeowners on energy savings, the MassSave energy auditor replaces incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs). I’ve been using CFLs for decades in several rooms and for my outdoor lighting. Since many of my indoor lights have dimmer switches, I was eager to try dimmable CFLs. The auditor changed 27 light bulbs, so now I have CFLs installed in the kitchen, guest bedroom, hallway to garage, stairs, bathroom and home office. Seventeen are dimmable reflector-style recessed lights and ten are standard CFLs of 3 different styles (see my CFL bulb styles below).
Energy Savings with CFLs
Together the energy auditor and I calculated the electricity savings I should expect from this simple lighting change. For example, all six CFL lights in my kitchen now use the equivalent of just one incandescent light bulb. My electricity bill showed the savings immediately. By changing 27 incandescent bulbs to CFLs, I saved $30 in the first month, and repeated the $30 savings again the following month. I’m hooked on the savings!
Homeowners may keep their incandescent bulbs just in case they prefer incandescent lighting and they’re prepared to continue paying the substantially higher cost of electricity. I kept mine since I wasn’t certain that I’d prefer the CFLs in every room. Now months later, my incandescent bulbs are still in the closet. The CFL lighting quality works great and I prefer the cost savings.
Brightness time-delay
Compact florescent lights take tiny personal-behavior adjustments just like any change. When you flip on the light switch, a standard CFL bulb turns on immediately. But it glows at partial-brightness initially and then brightens within two to three minutes once it warms up.
The dimmable CFLs take a full second to show any light. It sounds fast, but it takes getting used to. At night that one-second pause is enough time to walk across the kitchen to the sink in total darkness. I don’t like the delay. After thinking about it for a day or two, I’ve decided that I don’t need the dimmer switches in these rooms. So I plan to replace change the switches from dimming switches to standard, and replace the dimmable CFLs with standard reflector CFLs.
Energy savings across the Northeast region
Replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs also reduces energy consumption across the region. Both the homeowner and the utility benefit s a result. The homeowner saves money immediately, and the utility has lower demand for electricity which means they can avoid building more power plants.
CFL styles added to my home
3 25w Harmony Spiral in the laundry and hallway to the garage
4 15w Fit Globe decorative CFL bulbs in the master bathroom above the mirror and sink
3 Philips 15w R-30 Reflectors lighting the hallway stairs
17 GE 15w R-30 Dimmable Flood reflector CFLs in the home office, guest bedroom and kitchen
Filed under: Efficiency Residential, Energy, Lighting Tagged: | CFL
