About compact fluorescent light bulbs:

I initially thought I would put a compact fluorescent in every light socket and save money. Well it really wasn’t that noticeable because of the larger electric appliances, but every bit of energy savings counts and I managed to put fluorescent lighting in the areas that get used most often. A little experimentation went a long way in figuring out what type and size bulbs to put in various areas of the house.

Energy savings:

Compact fluorescent bulbs use roughly one quarter the electricity required by an incandescent bulb of equal brightness. The fluorescent replacement for a particular wattage incandescent will tend to be a little brighter, larger in size, and about seven times as expensive. The lifetime of a fluorescent will just about make up for the cost so you are basically paying the same price for a more efficient source of light.

Size considerations:

It turns out that some compact fluorescent bulbs are not as compact as others, mostly due to differences in wattage. If you buy one bulb of a commonly used wattage you can go around your house and see exactly where it will fit. Desktop lamps with shades that sit on a metal support are good candidates for fluorescent conversion. Be aware, however, that most compact fluorescent bulbs should not be used in a three-way socket. Circular fluorescent tubes are available for lamps that have a three way switch. I was able to get a circular three-way fluorescent to fit inside a larger table top lamp by taking the shade holder out of its slots, tightening the circular bulb to the point where the shade holder would line up and then re-installing the shade holder.

Color temperature:

Some rooms are better suited for fluorescent light than others. If a room is painted with warm colors, the fluorescent light will not seem as “cool”. If you have a lampshade that not only lets plenty of light through but is also warm in color, your lamp will be more enjoyable and practical. Bring your lamp to a shop and try on some different shades to see what you like.

Compact fluorescent are available with higher “color temperature” if you like a more warm light. The warm color bulbs that I purchased were a bit more expensive and take a few seconds to come to full brightness. I put them in the bathroom to avoid being instantly blinded with bright light when I have to go late at night. They also happened to be shorter than my non-color corrected fluorescent bulbs which would have been too long for the bathroom light housing.

RF noise:

Be aware that fluorescent lighting may generate noise that might interfere with short wave radio or cordless telephones.