Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs save energy and money
ENERGY STAR®-qualified* compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incancescent bulb with a 26-watt CFL can save at least $30 in energy over the life of the bulb. They also are cool to the touch and pollute less so they're safer and better for the environment.
CFLs use less power to create the same amount of light. Use the chart below to determine the CFL size that's right for your lighting needs.
Incandescent
Bulb | CFL
Equivalent |
40 watt | 9 watt |
60 watt | 15 watt |
75 watt | 20 watt |
100 watt | 26 watt |
As a rule, divide the wattage of a standard bulb by 4 to find the equivalent CFL |
Read the packaging to make sure you
get the right bulbs for dimmers, three-way and outdoor lighting fixtures, and for bright or soft light options.
Compact fluorescent vs. standard incandescent
* ENERGY STAR®-qualified bulbs use a technology called fluorescence. In a compact fluorescent light (CFL), the glass tube contains an inert gas, liquid metal and phosphorus. When you flip the switch, the electrical current passes throughout the tube causing a chemical reaction. The process creates much more light, more efficiently without the heat associated with incandescence.
Conventional light bulbs, known as incandescent lamps, are little more than a wire in a glass tube. When you flip the switch, an electrical current runs through the wire, heating it to produce light. Only about 10% of the energy used by the bulb creates light, the remaining 90% produces heat.
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