2014年2月15日星期六

Incandescent, LED, CFL, Halogen light bulbs comparison - Which Really Save You Money

Lighting typically accounts for about 20-30% of your electric bill. Incandescent, LED, CFL, Halogen light bulbs, which do you use? Here is the comparison of the 4 types light bulbs. Let’s see which will really save you money.


Lighting typically accounts for about 20-30% of your electric bill. Incandescent, LED, CFL, Halogen light bulbs, which do you use? Here is the comparison of the 4 types light bulbs. Let’s see which will really save you money.


You’re familiar with the situation. You go to the store to replace a couple light bulbs that burnt out and you’re faced with an entire aisle of options: incandescents, LEDs, CFLs, halogens. Which one do you buy? There are many factors that will influence your decision, but you’ll probably go for the one that will offer the best economic value. You’ve heard that the most expensive ones will last longer and use less energy, but it’s important to consider all of your options. Will you really save money paying $25 for a light bulb?


incandescent-led-cfl-halogen-light-bulbs-comparison incandescent-led-cfl-halogen-light-bulbs-comparison


It’s true. The cheap incandescent bulbs are very inefficient since most of the energy they consume ends up being used for heat instead of light. For this reason, these bulbs are in the process of being phased out. Just this past month, the 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs have been banned from production, though you can probably still find them in stock at certain retail locations if you search hard enough. So you can either stock up on these ancient bulbs or get with the times and choose a more efficient option.


Lighting typically accounts for about 20-30% of your electric bill so you want to make a wise choice when it comes to which bulb to use. Below you will find a cost comparison of four different types of light bulbs; all emit the same amount of light, but vary in initial cost and the amount of energy consumed.


Comparing the electricity cost for one year, you’ll see that you could save about $10 by switching from incandescent to LED. Now that doesn’t seem like much, but once you increase the timeframe to 15 years, and factor in how many bulbs you’ll need during that time, you will notice that an incandescent will cost you almost four times as much as an LED.


Judging by this number, you decide against the incandescent. Halogen light bulbs have a longer lifespan, but between their high initial cost and their inability to save much energy, they’re out too.


Now you’re down to CFLs and LEDs. An LED bulb will last about three times longer than a CFL and will require less energy, but its current astronomical price tag will pretty much negate all of its economic benefits.


Any one of these three light bulbs is a better option than the incandescent, but until the price of LED bulbs becomes more reasonable, it’s best to stick with CFLs.


If you’re finding it difficult to make the switch, think back to the humorous Cree commercial that gave it to you straight. “The light bulbs in your house were invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Now think about that with your twenty-thirteen brain. Do you still do the wash down at the creek while your eldest son stands lookout for wolves?”


It’s time for you to break your old fashioned trend, just don’t break the bank in the process.



Incandescent, LED, CFL, Halogen light bulbs comparison - Which Really Save You Money

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