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Replace incandescent light bulbs with higher efficiency bulbs (compact fluorescents and LED)

Save money on light bulbs and your electricity bill by replacing your incandescent bulbs with either compact fluorescent or LED lighting. Fluorescent and LED lamps last several times longer than ordinary incandescent bulbs, which save you the time and expense of replacing bulbs when they burn out.

 
 
Costs Annual Savings Time
DIY*: varies money*: varies DIY*: 1 hour
Pro*: varies carbon*: varies  
   
Difficulty Recurrence  
very easy None  
 

Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb
Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66%-75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
As a result of technological advances, new CFLs are much less expensive than they used to be. They also start more quickly without flickering; and the light they cast is visually much warmer and more appealing than it was years ago.
There are LED Light bulbs available that use even less energy than CFLs and can last for many years. While LED bulbs remain a more expensive incandescent alternative than CFLs, LED manufacturing technology is improving every day.
Installing higher efficiency bulbs will also save time as you won't have to change them nearly as often as incandescent bulbs.

How To

Step 1: Choose the correct bulb and wattage for each receptacle in your home.
Step 2: Take out the old bulbs from their receptacles and put in the new bulbs.

Tools and Materials

  • Instructions on the bulb's packaging

Tips and Tricks

  • Replace each incandescent bulb with the equivalent CFL or LED bulb. Before buying a high efficiency bulb, check the label on the package. Make sure the lumens listed match the lumens listed on the package of an equivalent incandescent bulb. For example, you may want to replace a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 25- or 30-watt CFL because the light output for each bulb is similar.
  • Use bulbs in the correct receptacles. Be sure you buy the correct bulb for the receptacle in which you want to use it. For example, if you need a bulb for a dimmable light switch, make sure the bulb's packaging says "dimmable."
  • High efficiency bulbs give you the most for your money when they're used for lights that stay on for several hours. You will get the most cost savings initially from bulbs that are left on for more than two or three hours at a time.
  • For more savings, use task lighting. You can use task lighting--such as under kitchen cabinets or at a reading desk--to save even more money, because you won't need to turn on the overhead light in a room to accomplish a task.
  • Be sure to properly recycle CFLs. CFLs require special recycling to remove and reuse the small amounts of mercury they contain, and can't simply be tossed in with the glass recyclables. Efforts are underway to encourage more stores to open recycling centers so that recycling a bulb can be as easy as buying one. Ask your local retailers if they will accept the used bulbs now or in the future. To find other recycling programs in your area, check this EPA map or visit www.Earth911.com. The bulbs should not be incinerated.

* The amounts referenced are estimates and can vary significantly. Read the FAQ for more information.


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