South Bay Energy Reviews: Three Types of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Lighting makes up 20% of the energy consumption of an average home. Changing your light bulbs to more energy-efficient types will help you lower your electricity costs substantially. Most experts recommend replacing your old incandescent bulbs with one or more of the following types.

1) Halogen lamps. At first glance, halogen lamps look very much like ordinary incandescent bulbs. That’s where the similarities end. When you switch on a halogen lamp, the tungsten filament lights up and the metal is evaporated into the halogen gas that fills the bulb, generating light (and a lot of heat). The halogen gas then deposits the evaporated tungsten back to the filament. This means that halogen lamps last longer than incandescent bulbs. They also provide more light per watt.

2) Compact fluorescent lights. CFLs are much like linear or tubular fluorescent lights; however, they are shaped in a way that allows you to use them with standard sockets. Despite their size, they produce lighting comparable to common incandescent lights. They also last longer – up to ten times – and use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs. However, they contain a certain amount of mercury and thus have to be disposed of carefully to avoid contaminating the soil and atmosphere.

3) Light emitting diodes. LED bulbs last up to 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They also use one-third of the energy consumed by a CFL bulb. Much of the energy savings comes in the form of heat not generated by the bulb. In other words, LED bulbs are cooler to the touch. In addition, they are mercury-free, more durable, and are more resistant to bumping or jarring. While the initial costs of LEDs are higher compared to other types of bulbs, the higher demand for them has resulted in lower prices among competing brands.