CFL's vs. Standard Bulbs...?

Question

How much more do CFL's cost?
Do they really save that much $$$ on your electric bill?
Do they really last 10+ years?
Would it be woth it for me to switch out all my bulbs with CFL's?

Answer 1

I use cfl's and prefer them to standard lights. If you change one bulb your not going to notice any difference but if you change them all your electricity bill will go down. As for lasting 10 years, I havn't had mine for 10 years and I would imagien they may be exxagerating a little bit, however they last WAY longer than standard bulbs. Also, on a side note I also prefer the type of light they emmit, I don't like yellow light and cfl's put out a very clean color spectrum of light.

Answer 2

CFL's are certainly superior to regular bulbs. In India they cost some 9 to 10 times the cost of regular bulbs, but they come with 12 months free replacement guarantee. Out of some 13 cfl's I purchased 15 months back, I had to replace only two of them. As such I cannot believe that they will last 10 years. The light blueish light emitted by cfl make no strain on eyes or mind which I appreciate very much.Since so many makers claim that they save the electricity bill, I believe that it may be so.

Answer 3

You can find pretty good deals on multi-packs right now. If you stick with brands you've heard of, the color will usually be a little more pleasing.

They really do save much electricity

I've never had one last 10 years. They do last much longer than regular bulbs.

I use them just for the convenience of not having to change bulbs all the time.

Answer 4

yes they are worth it~~I have them all through out my house and I absolutely love them. we have been in our house over a year and we have not replaced a bulb yet, the last place we lived with regular bulbs it seemed we would replace them every couple of months but we got some of those bulbs and it lasted for 3 years (and then we moved). but they are also more cost efficient for your electric bill!! they may cost you more up front to purchase them, but you will not regret it once you do!!

Answer 5

Speaking from personal experience, it's probably not a great deal for you, as it isn't for most people. Here's why:

In the U.S., CFLs cost a minimum of $3.50 each to about $8, depending on the type. If you are replacing mostly standard bulbs, then closer to $3.50 each. You can get multi-packs that will save you some money, and occasionally they go on sale, but I've never bought a CFL for less than about $2. When you think of how many bulbs are in the average house or apartment, you see it adds up quickly. For instance, my house has 38 bulbs that can be replaced with CFLs, so we're talking about an initial outlay of over $125+. For the record, I can get regular incandescent bulbs for about 30-75 cents each.

CFLs will save you money on your electric bill, but it's not a lot every month. For instance, in the U.S., the majority of electricity is used by the following: refrigerators, water heaters, heating and cooling, cooking and clothes washers/dryers. Another modern large use of power is for electronics, including computers, televisions, games and such. According to the US Dept of Energy (DOE), lighting accounts for only 8% of the typical household's electricity usage.

With electronics there's the large problem of standby power. When you have that phone charger plugged in but not used, and your PC and TV are running on standby, they are still consuming power. The US Dept of Energy studied this problem, and found that about 17% of the average electricity bill is used by electronics in standby, and that a typical PC in standby mode is consuming 130+ watts (the equivalent of two regular lightbulbs).

You might be able to reduce your power consumption 17% by putting all your electronics on power strips and shutting them OFF when you aren't using them. So even if your CFLs reduce your lighting electricity usage by about 75%, that comes to 75% of 8%, or a grand total of 6%. Ooooh, big savings.

Yes, yes, if this is multiplied by an entire country of people, or worldwide, it's a lot of electricity/energy/money. If it's just you, you might see a $6 drop in your monthly electricity bill, and then you realize it will take you 2 years (perhaps more) to recoup your lightbulb costs. So, this becomes that problem of the benefits of the individual (not so much) vs the benefits to the broader society (notable but not extraordinary).

No, CFLs don't really last 10 years. Even now, several years after their widespread use, they still have problems. I've had several bulbs suddenly fail after a few months. Some of my CFL bulbs start up slowly, and some flicker annoyingly. You can't use these bulbs on dimmer switches (unless you buy an even more expensive dimmable CFL), and you can't put them on photovoltaic cells (like some outdoor lighting). Most bulbs I've seen are rated only for 4-7 years. Many manufacturers have warranties, so now you have to save your lightbulb receipts if you want your money back.

Finally, there's the important matter of the quality of the light. You never realize how good you have it with incandescent bulbs until you switch on a CFL with crummy light. You'll notice it immediately: The lights are on, but everything has this sort of gray-green cast. There's no contrast, so it's difficult to really see anything, and the entire room looks like it's saturated in puke. This is not just if you get a bad bulb. Many bulbs being sold (such as Wal-Mart's cheaper brands) look like this. Just try to imagine the worst overhead fluorescent lights, say, in a garage.

GE soft white CFLs have very good light quality, but they are more expensive, about $4/bulb. I heard Laura Ingraham (a talk radio host) say that now she understands why Courtney Love went all crazy--she must have put CFLs in her house, and the weird light drove her insane. I totally concur with Laura. Unless you're aggressive about returning ugly bulbs to the store, it will be an expensive experiment finding the best bulbs. If you go to a specialty lighting or specialty hardware store (not the chains), you can find a wide range of CFL lighting types and styles, but you'll pay through the nose for them.

There's enough data in here, I think, for you to make up your own mind about this. But I will repeat that you can save almost three times as much electricity by putting all your electronics on power strips, and turning the strips off when you aren't using them, as you can by replacing lightbulbs. And you won't need as many power strips, and you can get basic power strips for $3 (or sometimes less) each, if you shop around.

Answer 6

It's worth it. Besides according to the commericial it's better for the planet. And if it drops the SMUD bill even a little, great.

Answer 7

i bought a pack of 6 on sale at home depot for $7 three years ago and they are all still going. love em

Answer 8

it would definatly be worth it to switch ALL the bulbs!