Wouldnt switching to fluorescent lights increase your heating bill at the same time as reducing your electric?

Question

For example if you switched your house from incandescent to compact fluorescent lighting then your electric bill will obviously be decreased. However, because each bulb is no longer transferring 80% of its power to heat wouldn't your heating bill increase by approximately the same margin as you just decreased the electric?

Just something that has always bothered me and restrained me from using financial reasons for making the switch. Also I am aware that this is only a factor during the winter and in colder enviroments. Thoughts?

Answer 1

Your electricity bill costs approx. ten times as much per energy unit as your heating bill.

So if you consume 1kWh in electricity using the light bulbs, you pay e.g.12 cents. But if you consume the equivalent amount of natural gas fro heating, it will only be little over one cent.

In other words: you have lost almost 10 cents on your poor heating strategy.

So if you have not switched for financial reasons, then it is only because you do not understand how to read and interpret your electricity/heating bill.

No wonder! Not many people can switch from kWhs to BTUs on the fly. I certainly can't (despite PhD in physics) and so I have to keep looking it up:

http://www.onlineconversion.com/energy.htm
http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/energy_conv.html
http://www.epa.gov/gasstar/pdf/unitconverter_final.pdf
http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/energy

and many more.

Makes you wonder if utilities do that on purpose, doesn't it?

Ideally they should tell you all your energy pricing in both units for heat and electricity.

I hope you will do the math and switch to a financially better and more environmentally method of lighting AND heating.

Just for comparison: after replacing our lights and appliances, our electricity bill is now 170-180kWh/month. That is for two people, i.e. less than 100kWh per person.

Answer 2

I don't think the gains/losses will be equal. By far the largest difference is that electrical energy tends to be much more expensive per BTU than oil or gas, unless you have hydro-electric or somesuch in your area. If you have electric heat this might not matter so much.

Also the radiators are usually on ground level, so the heat can rise and warm the room. Obviously most lightbulbs are mounted high. So on the upper floor of your house, you'd be getting less benefit from the incandescent lights, as the heat rises up to the roof.

Answer 3

try turning your furnace off and heating your house with your light bulbs. you will real quick find out how little heat you get from your lights. the energy savings is a big deal, but the problem now is there are a lot of Eco-nuts saying the government needs to outlaw the mini-fluorescent lights because they contain mercury and we are polluting the land fills with them.

so don't worry. no matter what you try to do, some one has found a problem with it already.

Answer 4

The amount of heat generated by incandescent bulbs is minimal, and would make little difference. Fluorescent will achieve substantial net savings.

Answer 5

I'm not religious, but I do have heavy sociological / anthropological background. If you feel the need to "fear" your God, then it's because you feel guilty for something, or you want to feel victimized. Most folks don't fear their God. They love their God. God is like the ultimate leader. As Machiavelli said, a good leader must be both loved and feared. If he is just loved, then people will still do what they want against his wishes at times. If he is just feared, then they won't love their own lives, only doing what he wants out of fear of ramifications. If they love and fear him, then they will do what he wants out of love and respect first, and out of fear second. Let me try to use a different analogy for God... God, in most peoples' eyes, is like a good parent. A good parent uses 2 parts love and 1 part discipline to ensure people lead a good life. 1 part love is unconditional. God loves you unconditionally, because you are his creation. (Just as a parent loves their child unconditionally). 1 part love is for positive reinforcement. God shows you love to reward your good behavior. This is what most folks call "blessings", "miracles", etc. Parents do the same with them children; give them hugs when they succeed. 1 part discipline is used for negative reinforcement. God punishes people when they've been bad. Parents do the same to children. Now, most people will follow a Godly life simply because they respect and love God due to 1 part unconditional love, and 1 part positive reinforcement. If that doesn't work then they fear the 1 part discipline. However, what's "blessing" and "punishment" from God is subjective. Different religions, and even individuals, may see something as a blessing while others see it as a curse. Everyone can see whatever they want into something. When a mother hugs a child, it's pretty tangible that it's a hug. But, when a person finds $5 on the street is that a blessing? What if it just enables them to do something bad? I think the better way to look at God is that he gives people chances. The $5 is an opportunity. How the person chooses to use that opportunity dictates whether it's a "blessing" or "curse".

Answer 6

In winter, possibly you have a point, though
electrical energy probably costs you more
per unit than fuel energy.
But in summer, when you pay to remove
the waste heat, with those efficient fluorescents,
you make out like a bandit!!!