Should we turn off fluorescent lights or leave them on?
For energy savings, it's always better to turn lights off. But if you have older fluorescent tube lights, it might be more convenient to leave them on because of the lengthy "warm-up" time needed.
The energy consumption usually isn't significant enough to be a concern, because fluorescent bulbs are more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.
Learn more easy lighting energy savers
Are compact fluorescent light bulbs really worth the money?
Yes! Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, and they last ten times longer.
If you replace a standard incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, you can save about $40 in energy costs over the four-year life of the bulb.
Plus, you'll save on the cost of at least eight incandescent bulbs during that time, as well as numerous trips to the store - and that's just one fixture.
Learn more about compact fluorescent light bulbs
How do I know what wattage I need with a compact fluorescent?
A general rule when buying CFBs is to choose a wattage that's about one-third of what you usually buy. The list below shows some typical wattage conversions:
- 25-watt incandescent = 7-watt compact fluorescent
- 40-watt incandescent = 11-watt compact fluorescent
- 60-watt incandescent = 15-watt compact fluorescent
- 75+-watt incandescent = 18-watt compact fluorescent
Learn more about compact fluorescent light bulbs |
