Buying a light bulb was at one time simple, uncomplicated and boring. When you needed one, you bought it. No more. Last year, with the incandescent bulb phaseout in favor of more energy-efficient technologies, figuring out what to replace that old 60-watt bulb with can be a bit puzzling.
First, one type of incandescent, the halogen bulb, is still available. They’re about 25 to 30 percent more efficient than old versions and last three times as long. While cheaper than CFL or LED bulbs, they save you less over their lifetime, about $2 a bulb.
Second, the rating of bulbs has changed from watts to lumens. It makes a lot of sense, because watts are a measure of power, not light. Consider it simply a technology shift — like the sometimes uncomfortable coexistence of inches and centimeters.
To create light, incandescent bulbs heat filament that in turn gives off light and heat. Manufacturers rated them by the power, or watts, they consumed. Now the CFL and LED bulbs consume fewer watts and give off more light, because they employ technologies that produce light more efficiently with less heat.
However, many of us aren’t thinking in lumens yet. So, replacing an old bulb with a new CFL and LED can be baffling. Although the lighting facts label tells the number of lumens and watts, it sometimes doesn’t say whether the bulb is a replacement for an older bulb. Fortunately, most manufacturers now note the old bulb equivalent on their packaging. They guide us toward buying at least a 1,600-lumen bulb to replace a 100-watt bulb; 1,100 lumens for 75-watt bulb; and 800 lumens for a 60-watt bulb.
Although prices are declining, CFLs and LEDs still cost more initially. The tradeoff is that according to the Department of Energy, using an Energy Star LED or CFL costs about $1 a year to power on average. That means over its lifetime, a 60-watt equivalent CFL can save you up to $35 compared with an incandescent 60-watt light bulb. And an LED lamp can save you from $60 to $270 over its longer lifetime. These are considerable savings compared to the still-available halogen bulb.
The shape of CFLs and LEDs are also changing. CFLs are available in the familiar light bulb shape of a traditional bulb. Manufactures of both make decorative bulbs and differently shaped bulbs for canisters and recessed fixtures. They also make halogen, CFL and LED bulbs in dimmable and three-way versions.
You can toss LED bulbs into the trash, but don’t toss any CFL bulbs there. They must be recycled. In 2013, a new Washington state law went into effect requiring CFL manufacturers to pay for state-run recycling programs for their bulbs. This law keeps CFLs out of landfills and the small amount of mercury they contain from seeping into the water table.
Clark Public Utilities is an official state recycling site for CFLs and customers should keep in mind that they can receive a free CFL bulb for each burned out one, up to six, and the utility does the recycling. Customers should bring their burned out bulbs to a Clark Public Utilities customer service location to trade them in for new ones or drop off burned out bulbs for safe disposal. More information is available on the utility website.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
