Do energy saving light bulbs really save you money?

Question

Has anyone see a drop in their electric bills after using energy saving bulbs?

Answer 1

I would wager that many dont even really know what energy savings light bulbs are unless it said it on a package.

You have basically 3 basic categories. You have incandescent bulbs ( the kind you already use ) that are just lower watt more slightly more efficient than the ones you normally buy.

You have flourescent light bulbs. Many have these. The bulbs often have a spiraling tube but not all do.
I have one of these in the room I am in right now and it uses 13 watts but puts out about the same light as a 60 watt incandescent blulb

Then you have the LED light bulbs. This is what I am going to be getting I have just been looking for the best value on them.
These are light bulbs with multiple LED's in them the more the brighter.
I have been looking at a bulb that has 36 LEDs in it and is about the same brightness as the other lights but it uses only 2 watts of power

Here is a comparison

Incandescent long life 60 watt bulb 10k hour bulb 2.00
Flourescent 13 watt spiral bulb 40k hour bulb 4.00
LED 36 array 2.5 watt 60k plus hour bulb 40.00

As you can see the LED bulbs are still quite expensive.

But doing some math lets see. Lets assume we planned our cost on this for 5 years time. assuming we had lights on all the time. And lets assume say .10/ killowatt hour.
8760 hours / yr = 43800 hours.
Incandescent
bulbs 5 = 10.00 60wt x 43800 x .10 = 2628.00
Total cost 2638.00 dollars

Flourescent
Bulbs 2= 8.00 13wt x 43800 x .10 = 569.40
Total cost 577.40

LED
Bulbs 1 =40.00 2.5wt x 43800 x .10 = 109.50
Total cost = 149.50

This is just one bulb in your house over 5 years time if it was on all the time of course.

I think that it is relevant though if you consider most run their lights 1/4 = 1/3 of the time but you are going to be using 4 -10 light bulbs regularly like that on average.

figure it out for you.

Oh btw 2 people in a 4 bedroom house here... allmost all flourescent presently and my power bill is averaging about 37 dollars / month. Going to be getting a few LED ones soon.

Answer 2

In general a 15watt CFL will give the same amount of light as a 60watt incandescent bulb and many of the CFL's will last up to 10 times longer. I've found that cheaper bulbs tend to burn out faster than GE or Phillips. So in the long run you should save on energy and replacing bulbs. Another consideration to saving both money and energy is replacing light fixtures I have 2 fixtures that have 6 candle bulbs and a spot light I will be replacing both of them with fixtures that take no more than 3 low energy bulbs. I have already replace 2 ceiling fans which had light kits that had 4 bulbs with a fan that has a light kit that takes a single energy saver bulb.

Answer 3

In the short-term, no. In the long-term, yes. As others have pointed out, in the long-term, changing the light bulbs out to energy saving bulbs can reduce costs. But if you go and replace all the bulbs and then decide to move, you have to really take all of the bulbs with you to see that savings from home to home. If you plan on being in your home over 3-5 years, it may be worth it, but it is really a cumulative process and you should consider doing more than just light bulb replacement alone.

Answer 4

Yes they do save you money not only in the use of electric but also in buying regular light bulbs. I have energy saving bulbs, i haven't had to change a light bulb in almost 2 years.

Answer 5

Over time they can save around $30 per bulb, so if you switched out twenty bulbs you would save quite a bit, although it will take years. Some will tell you that these bulbs are dangerous to the environment because they contain mercury. First the amount of mercury is very small, if it is a concern just dispose of them according to your state law, but since they last five or ten years it will be sometime before you have to deal with that. Overall these bulbs are great!

Answer 6

Yes my bill has dropped. They do save money because they can make the same wattage as an incandescent bulb with less energy released with the heat a regular bulb uses. The energy saving light bulbs also last much longer than the regular bulbs.

Answer 7

Yes, and here's why.
A) The bulbs themselves consume less energy to illuminate the same brightness.
B) They are cooler, so less "heat" is now in your home which means the A/C will run less, also much safer for burn concerns.
C) They last longer (some 9+ years!) so less time and energy is spent replacing the bulbs.
So if you consider all these "other" factors, instead of just the "energy bill" factor, there's no way you aren't saving money overall!
But to answer your question, yes, although at the time I was incorporating other energy saving techniques (blinds, tuning up the A/C, water heater blanket, etc), I did notice that my A/C runs less, and overall about a $15 - $20 savings/month compared to last year.
Now if we could just get the retailers to recycle these used bulbs that would be great!
Thanks for letting me answer your question.

Answer 8

Yes....

Fluorescent bulbs last 10x longer & use 75% less electricity.

One 18 watt fluorescent bulb will last the same number of hours as 10 - 75 watt incadescent bulb with life cycle savings of more than $80 over the life of the bulbs.

(Lighting accounts for 15% of your homes electricity.)

Incadescent bulbs produce 90% heat & 10% light
CFL's produce 90% light & 10% heat.
So by switching to fluorescent bulbs, not only will you be saving on the energy to "light" your home, but you will also save on the amount of a/c you use.
I know we have noticed a tremendous difference in the temperature in our home since we have switched to cfl's. It cools a lot quicker & stays cool.

I definately recommend them...I know it takes a little more to dispose of, but it's well worth it. Find the nearest recycling company the recycles cfl bulbs...Just think, you'll only have to recycle them once every 5-7 years. I think it's well worth the sacrafice...Take care & God bless.

Answer 9

I was just comparing my electric costs to this time last year. Since the weather in my area has been about the same, I can only credit the drop to my replacement of regular light bulbs with the new eco bulbs. I would highly suggest trying it out.

Answer 10

This is one of the better sites I have seen.

https://touchstoneenergy.cooperative.com/public/programs/EnergyEfficiency/Lightbulbcalculator.htm


10-15 years ago a CFL cost $15-25, but you can get one today for $2. Today, LED lightbulbs cost $25, but just as your CFL starts to wear out the LED will be economically justifiable. YOU WILL SAVE THE MOST POWER AND ENERGY WITH AN LED BULB, YOU WILL SAVE THE MOST MONEY WITH A CFL, AND YOU WON'T SAVE MONEY OR ENERGY IF YOU CONTINUE TO USE INCANDESCENTS.

PLEASE BUY AMERICAN AND SUPPORT YOUR COUNTRY (General Electric, etc.)