How To Choose The Right Energy Efficient Light Bulb

Which energy efficient light bulb is on in your head?  While the Energy Efficiency Fund encourages all Connecticut residents to replace their incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), many consumers are unsure about selecting the right CFLs for their homes.

“CFLs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and brightness, but it’s important to know that there is a CFL for every socket in your home,” said Rich Steeves, Chairman of the Energy Efficiency Fund.  “The three main points to consider when selecting a CFL for your home are color, wattage and application.”

With CFLs, light color is measured on the Kelvin scale (K), which best explains how to select.  The scale ranges from 2700 K to 6500 K with the lower numbers signifying that the light appears yellowish, and the higher numbers signifying that the light is whiter or bluer.  The lower numbers (warm/soft white) are the standard color of incandescent bulbs, the middle numbers (cool/bright white) are good for kitchens and work spaces and the higher numbers (natural/daylight) are suitable for reading.

“You should choose the colorations that best suit your personal needs,” Steeves commented. “You don’t need to sacrifice personal comfort and appearance for energy savings with today’s lighting technology.”

To determine which ENERGY STAR® qualified light bulbs will provide the same amount of light as incandescent light bulbs, residents should consider using this chart for simple conversions of incandescent wattage versus ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL wattage.

The application aspect of choosing a CFL is not as difficult as it seems.  If your fixture has a dimmer, you will need a special dimmable CFL, and similarly, three-way sockets should be partnered with special three-way CFLs.  For those fixtures with electronic controls, the Fund advises that consumers check with the manufacturer of their photocell, motion sensor or timer.  Residents also can refer to this easy guide to steer themselves in the right direction when selecting an appropriate CFL for the fixtures in their homes.

Another important point to remember is that when you change to energy efficient ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs, you reduce your energy use and lower your home’s electric bill while preventing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.  You will also save on the purchase of bulbs in many home improvement stores, groceries and pharmacies when you look for the Energy Efficiency Fund logo.  The Energy Efficiency Fund provides discounts on a variety of products in almost every place that lighting is sold in Connecticut.

For more information on the Energy Efficiency Fund’s programs and services, or to find out more about CFLs for your home, please call 1-877-WISE-USE or visit www.ctenergyinfo.com.

The Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund

The Energy Efficiency Fund promotes efficient energy use, helps residents and businesses save on their electric and natural gas bills, advances economic development, reduces electric demand and helps to improve the environment. Energy Efficiency Fund programs serve residential customers, including limited- and fixed-income customers, as well as business and municipal customers.

Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs are funded by a charge on customers’ utility bills and administered by the state’s electric and gas utilities including: Connecticut Light and Power, The United Illuminating Company, Yankee Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas and Southern Connecticut Gas. Additional information on Connecticut’s energy efficiency programs can be found at www.ctenergyinfo.com.

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