Save Money With Energy Saving Bulbs

A lot of people think that it costs a little more to "go green". Not so! In fact you can save money along with energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFL bulbs may cost a little more than regular incandescent bulbs on the store shelf, but they'll save you a lot more money in the long run. Each CFL bulb uses less than 25% of the power than regular bulbs, saving you big on your monthly energy bill. CFL light bulbs also last much longer, so you don't have to buy them nearly as often.

How do these energy saving bulbs work? As you may know, a normal incandescent light bulb runs a current of electricity through a wire filament. The heat from the electrical current causes the filament to glow bright.

A compact fluorescent light bulb works a bit differently: The electrical current flows through the glass tube filled with argon gas and a bit of mercury vapor. The electrified gas emits ultraviolet light that excites a phosphor coating on the inside of the glass tube. It's this reaction that emits the bright visible light that comes from the CFL light bulb.

Older CFL bulbs were known to make a low hum or buzzing sound while they were on. This understandably made people nervous about using them, worried that they were somehow unstable. Newer bulbs, especially ones rated by the Energy Star program, make no sound at all.

We know what you might be thinking... "If CFL bulbs contain mercury, aren't they dangerous?" Not at all! It's been proven that while CFL bulbs do contain mercury, none of that mercury is released from the bulb as long as the bulb isn't broken. In fact, one old-style thermometer has more mercury inside it than 125 CFL light bulbs.

The Environmental Protection Agency is a heavy supporter of the use of CFL bulbs because they use 75% less power than traditional bulbs and they greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Even with the concerns regarding mercury, the EPA maintains that using CFL bulbs as an alternative would introduce far less mercury into the environment than traditional, energy-inefficient bulbs. Energy Star also offers proper instructions for disposing CFL bulbs on their official website.

To begin saving on your monthly energy bill, you can find the type of CFL bulbs that suit your needs in our online store.