Energy efficiency becoming a more prevalent component of our society has led to changes that can easily leave someone feeling overwhelmed. With respect to light bulbs, there are several relatively new options that don't overtly distinguish themselves with their names, leaving you to wonder what exactly you're paying for when you buy them because the truth is that if you've bought one light bulb you have most certainly not bought them all:
1) Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs): Perhaps the number one quality of the CFLs is that they consume only 25 percent of the energy used by traditional incandescent bulbs while lasting 10 times longer. They are also quieter and have warmer, color-corrected tones. Conversely, these bulbs contain minimal quantities of mercury, a harmful substance which means these bulbs have to be recycled and that extra care needs to be exercised to protect against breakage.
2) Halogen light bulbs: Halogen light bulbs are identical to the traditional incandescent light bulbs except that they use roughly 25 to 30 percent less energy and produce the closest approximation of natural daylight. The downside is that they don't always last very long and burn at a higher temperature, which could be a fire hazard.
3) Light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs): The LED bulb's claim to fame is that it requires even less energy than the CFLs. And as the technology improves, the LEDs are becoming more effective at lighting an entire room but not yet to the effectiveness of the other bulbs. Their major shortcoming is that they cost significantly more money but the price of these bulbs is steadily declining.
Remember that if you live in the Maryland area and are looking to learn more about home energy efficiency or have an energy audit evaluate your power consumption needs, just schedule an appointment with leading home inspection company Alban Inspections!