If you'd like to see a few dollars shaved off your electrical bills then consider this. Replacing each of your lamps with an energy saving lamp will save you considerable dollars.
There are many ways you can save money on your energy bill. The easiest and the one that will save you the most money is to turn off your lights when you aren't using them. Contrary to what you may have read about it being cheaper to leave them on, it's just not true.
Next replace all of your incandescent light bulbs with the new fluorescents which use about 1/3 as much energy to produce the same amount of light. A 20 watt compact fluorescent will produce as much light as a 60 watt incandescent.
Don't be shocked by the price. Yes, they do cost a bit more than incandescent bulbs but then they last up to 13 times longer too which overall makes them more cost efficient than incandescent.
If you are wondering what compact fluorescent lamps are, commonly called CFLs, they are a fluorescent with a screw in base designed for modern light fixtures. For years the only fluorescent lighting around was the long tubes but those days are gone. They work the same as the fluorescent tubes with a phosphor coating and electronic ballast which starts the lamp.
Compact fluorescent lamps are sold by wattage just as incandescent bulbs are but the difference is the wattage of bulb you will need is considerably less. A 10W CFL is equal to a 40W regular bulb, an 18W to a 60W, a 25W to 100W and a 32W to a 150W.
The best way to save the most money with these energy saving lamps is to place them in areas where there is high usage. Not only will you save energy you will also very quickly recoup the additional cost of the bulb.
As with any lighting, it's not to your advantage to leave it on when you are out of the room. Unlike the old fluorescents, the new compacts do not take more energy on startup. There are no savings to be had by leaving it on!
Another type of energy saving lamp is the small bright halogen bulbs. They are often used in kitchens or in areas where a narrow bright beam of light is sufficient. Desk lamps are popular uses as well. Usually more than one light is required. These lights certainly use less power than incandescent lights but they still use more than the CFLs do.
The compact fluorescent energy saving lamps come in all kinds of shapes - spirals, mini tubes, grouped tubes, the lotus, and more conventional shapes so no matter what type of lamp or fixture you have there is a bulb that will fit and look good.
You will have to decide which are best for you. You can also decide if this is the time to have some fun and go out and replace all your lamps with new ones or whether replacing each light with an energy saving lamp is the answer. CFL's can be placed in existing fixtures; however halogen lights cannot be adapted.
Both halogen and compact fluorescents are good choices but each serves a specific type of lighting and ambiance so you'll also want to consider which type of lighting is best for you.
Why not purchase an energy saving lamp and see the results? Once you know that either the fluorescent or halogen lamps will do the job you'll be ready to replace all you bulbs with energy saving lamps.
