Especially with the today’s rough nature of the economy, it is always important to weigh your options carefully before buying your everyday usage products. This is especially the case with electrical and electronics, light bulbs being one of the most talked about items. When deciding on the type of light bulb to buy for installation in the various light fixtures, you will obviously want to consider the amount of light it will produce, its cost, quality, durability, and energy consumption as well as other factors such as the aspect of safety.
Upon some research online, you will find that the regular incandescent light bulbs are being or have already been face-out, due to some of their disadvantages as compared to the modern energy saving light bulbs. This article seeks to explain the differences and similarities between Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Vs Regular Light Bulbs based on their pros and cons, just so you get some enlightenment to help you make the right choice the next time you go shopping for light bulbs.
Some Types of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
There are various types of energy efficient bulbs in the market today, including Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), and Halogen Incandescent bulbs. Each of these has their own merits and demerits and of course functions in different ways depending on what they are made of and in comparison to the regular light bulbs.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
Light Emitting Diodes are some of the most recently developed bulbs, whose popularity is increasingly growing as their applications gradually broaden. They are small, solid, and highly energy-efficient. LED light bulbs are also available in a wide array of styles, colors, and capacities. As compared to other options such as CFLs and the regular light bulbs, LEDs last longer and they do not need regular replacement. This is because unlike the regular options, LEDs do not consist of a filament. They are also safer and mercury-free, not forgetting that they remain cool as compared to the typical light bulbs that cause heat buildup in the room or environment they keep lit. This is because they produce only 3.4BTUs an hour as compared to incandescent bulbs that produce 85. This means that they help keep HVAC and air conditioning costs down.
Most importantly, LEDs light bulbs are more cost effective and more efficient. They help keep electricity costs down as they only use 2 to 17 watts as compared to incandescent or regular light bulbs that use 3 to 30 times more wattage. Due to their durability, energy efficiency, and high convenience, LED bulbs are more cost-effective in the long run even though they are initially more expensive to procure.
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
CFLs are the other common type of modern day bulbs. They are almost similar to the traditional fluorescent bulbs in terms of the light quality and function, only that they are compact and fit into standard into standard lamp sockets. CFLs that are highly energy efficient are today available. In general, they are advantageous in that they consume as much as 75% lesser energy as compared to regular traditional bulbs. They also more durable and can last 5 to 10 times longer, cause less heat buildup and are more reliable. This means that they are in overall, more cost-effective since they save on energy, replacement costs, and air-conditioning costs. They are also cheaper than their superior LED light bulbs. However, CFLs are more expensive than the regular options and are said to contain some amount of mercury, a toxic by-product that may be released during disposal.
Regular and Halogen Incandescent Light Bulbs
The ban on the regular 100-watt bulbs became effective from January 2012. The production of 75-watt 60 and 40-watt bulbs was also banned by 2014. These traditional options were phased out mainly because they consumed a lot of energy and produced too much heat. However, they were/are generally cheaper to procure but ended up costing more since they do not last as long as the modern energy efficient bulbs.
Halogen light bulbs are actually advancement from the traditional filament incandescent bulbs, whose most recent developments are giving rise to newer models that are more energy efficient and less costly to operate. Even though they are better energy savers than traditional models and cheaper than other energy saving light bulbs, halogen incandescent bulbs are more expensive to operate than CFLs and LEDs, run hotter, and are less durable.
In terms of operational costs, energy efficiency, and reliability, LEDs are a winner, followed by CFLs and Halogen Bulbs in that order.
Product Examples
1: 60W Equivalent Soft White A19 Energy Star plus Dimmable (4-Pack) LED Light Bulb
• Buy at: Home Depot
• Price: $15.97 / package
• Link: https://is.gd/AiQaCC
2: GE 13W Daylight T2 Energy Smart Spiral CFL Bulbs, 3pk
• Buy at: Walmart
• Price: $6.34
• Link: https://is.gd/RUa9Tu
