Compared to standard incandescent bulbs, Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (or CFLs) offer a longer life, lower operating cost, less heat gain, and ultimately lower electric bills.
- Ten times longer bulb life, which offsets the higher purchase price
- One-fourth to one-third the energy use of a standard incandescent bulb
- An 80% decrease in produced heat, helping to reduce summer air conditioning costs
- A savings of 400 pounds of power plant emissions over the life of the CFL
- Lower bulb wattage; for example, a 26-watt CFL provides as much light as a 100-watt incandescent
| Compact fluorescent light bulb | Incandescent light bulb |
| 26-watt | 100-watt |
| Expected life: 8,000 hours | Expected life: 750 hours |
| Price: $3 - $5 | Price: $0.25 - $0.99 |
| Output: 1600 lumens | Output: 1690 lumens |
CFLs contain a small amount of mercury and need to be disposed of properly, preferably recycled. To learn more, go to the Environmental Protection Agency Web site.
