Sometimes when a good thing becomes THE hot thing, the ensuing rush by other companies to jump on the bandwagon and produce as many widgets as possible can create big disparities in quality.
Unfortunately, compact fluorescent light bulbs appear to be suffering from a touch of this malady.
Some consumers, eager to save energy and lower their bills, are finding out the compact fluorescent bulbs didn’t last as long as they expected. With constant use, one of these bulbs should last about a year. With normal use, it should last seven to 10 years. But not all manufacturers’ products are living up to that expectation.
Two factors appear to be at play.
Image: Flickr/Creative Commons
To lower the cost of the bulbs, manufacturers have started using cheaper materials for the components. And the rush of production has left some gaps in quality control.
THIS SPACE still encourages its readers to use compact fluorescent lighting because it uses about a third of the energy of traditional incandescent lights. But you don’t want to lose that savings by being forced to replace a bulb earlier than expected. So this week’s ONE THING you can do to reduce your energy use and keep a few extra bucks in your bank account is to protect yourself from buying a bad bulb.
The easiest way to do that is to look for the Energy Star label.
Bulbs recognized by Energy Star have been independently checked for their durability and light output. They’re your best bet for getting the performance you expect and deserve.
The same rule of thumb applies to lighting with LEDs, or light emitting diodes.
LEDs have the potential to significantly cut energy use for lighting, but current systems are still trying to overcome the challenge of diffusing the heat they generate. As a result, they can burn out early, lose some of their light output and degrade the color of light they produce.
The tip here is to be cautious about any claims about low-cost LED lighting. Right now, a good LED light with fixture costs about $200 and up.
Energy Star is working on a rigorous test for LED lighting systems. Waiting for that stamp of approval will pay off.