Are LED lights better than CFL lights?

While CFL lights are better than traditional incandescent bulbs, LED lights are better because they use less wattage than both. LED lights do not conduct heat, whereas 80% of the energy put out by CFLs is heat alone. LEDs also have almost double the life of CFLs.

Are CFL bulbs still available?

The production of CFL bulbs is slowly phasing out. There is market demand for LEDs, halogen, and incandescent, but not CFLs. Companies, like GE, surmise this is due to the slowness of a CFL bulb using its full lumen capacity.

Are LED lights bad for your eyes?

Research shows the blue light produced by LED lights is damaging to our retinas; however, more research is needed.

Is CFL light harmful?

More research is needed, but CFL lighting has shown to be harmful because it can leak ultraviolet (UV-B and UV-C) radiation. It’s important to note the exposure is minuscule; however, over time, it could have harmful effects on our bodies. Always read any health and safety warnings provided on the packaging.

Are LED bulbs safer than CFL?

LED bulbs are safer than CFL bulbs. LED bulbs do not throw heat as CFL bulbs do, so LEDs are always cool to the touch. CFL bulbs also contain a small amount of mercury; it’s not enough to cause harm, but CFL bulb disposal requires extra caution.

Is CFL brighter than LED?

Overall, LED lighting is not that much different than CFL lighting. It also depends on how many lumens are in the bulb. CFL bulbs and incandescent use wattage, which is based upon electricity consumption. The higher the wattage, the more energy use, the brighter the light (lumens). When it comes to LED bulbs, they all use the same (small) amount of energy so that you can purchase a bulb based on lumens (brightness) alone. It all comes down to how much light you want in your home. When it comes to energy-efficiency, LED bulbs take the cake.

How long do CFL lights last?

Depending on the frequency of use, CFL lights generally last 10,000 to 15,000 hours.

Is it worth switching to LED bulbs?

Yes! The switch to LED bulbs can save you money on your power bill. Although the cost is typically more than regular bulbs, they pay for themselves with how much you end up saving, even in time spent changing light bulbs. It is definitely something to consider.

Which type of light bulb consumes the least amount of electricity?

LED light bulbs consume the least amount of energy.

In-Depth Product Guide

CFL Lighting

FAQs

·Related

Light from a compact fluorescent light (CFL), similar to a fluorescent tube, is created by an electrical current conducted through an inert gas that produces invisible ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet light interacts with a blend of phosphors coating the inside surface that efficiently converts it to useful white light. CFLs are a long-time standard for energy efficiency, using 75% less energy and lasting 6-15 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Even more efficient LED light bulbs are now displacing CFLs.

Look for the Energy star label - these bulbs have higher quality in terms of color, light output and distribution. Look for lumens, not watts. Lumens are a measure of how much light the bulb produces. Guide for replacing incandescent bulbs:

100W incandescent = 1600 lumen LED
75W incandescent = 1100 lumen LED
60W incandescent = 800 lumen LED
40W incandescent = 450 lumen LED

Also, look for the light color you want. This is measured on a temperature scale referred to as Kelvin (K) from warm (2200K to 3000K) to cool (3500K to 4100K) to daylight (5000K to 6500K).

Finally, if you are using it on a dimmer switch, check the label to make sure you get a 'dimmable' CFL bulb; otherwise, it will blink or burn out.

CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, so they should always be recycled at proper facilities.

CFL lighting saves energy compared to incandescent lights. A CFL uses only 23W to provide the equivalent light output (1600 lumens) as a 100W incandescent bulb.

The classic spiral CFL light bulb was invented in 1976 by Edward E. Hammer, with General Electric, to save energy in response to the oil crisis at that time. It was not brought into production until years later, due to the cost of getting a factory going.

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