lightbulbsuk on Sunday, January 22, 2012 reviews [0]

All over the world, people are making the switch from incandescent light bulbs over to compact fluorescent lighting (CFL). Not only are they saving money on their electric bills, they’re also reducing our greenhouse emissions and conserving our resources. Compact fluorescent <a href="http://www.muvet.com/lights-lighting/saving-power-bills-with-energy-saving-light-bulbs/">light bulbs</a> consume less than one-third as much electricity as incandescent bulbs do.

If you’re considering making the switch, just remember the words “watt four.” What for? Because the “watt four rule” reminds you that when you’re switching over from an incandescent bulb to a CFL bulb, divide the wattage of the old bulb by four and then acquire the CFL bulb that’s the closest to the number. For example, if you’re replacing a 50-watt bulb, you’d acquire a 13-watt CFL bulb.

Nonetheless it isn’t quite that easy, since you possess a dizzying assortment of ordinary or specialty CFL bulbs to pick from, so you have to be careful to locate the one that will suit your purposes.

The spiral CFL bulbs, which are considered the standard CLF bulbs, have their limitations. You can’t use them in tight places where there isn’t much air flow, or they’ll overheat. They don’t work well in cold places either, as they’ll spend a lot of time warming up and won’t reach full brightness for quite awhile, if at all. You can’t use them for dimming or for three-way switches. They also aren’t geared for damp places. And some people don’t like the way they look or the warm-coloured light they give off. For these and other reasons, some people favor obtaining a specialty CFL bulb. Some of the main types of specialty CFL bulbs are described here:

Covered Spiral

Covered spiral CFLs (on occasion called standard bulbs because they resemble <a href="http://www.energysavinglightbulbsuk.com/energy-saving-light-bulbs/">energy saving light bulbs</a> incandescent) have a glass dome cover. These deliver a light much like the “soft white” type of incandescent bulb.

Globe

Globe CFL’s also contain a glass cover, so they resemble the covered spiral bulbs. They spread their heat out, so they’re better for hot places than regular CFLs, which can falter under high heat. These are good for use in overhead bathroom fixtures, vanity mirrors and in closed-in areas.

Dimming

These contain the word “dimming” on the label, and are available in various shapes and sizes. They only work with certain switches, so check to make sure to use the proper switch, or you’ll burn the bulb out quickly.

Candelabra

Candelabra bulbs somewhat resemble a torpedo. They are engineered to be used for small lamp fixtures.

Triple Tube

Triple tube bulbs are extra small, but they give off as much light as a much bigger bulb.

Chandelier

These are shaped somewhat like bullets, and offer a stylish look for chandeliers, specialty cosmetic lamps and certain ceiling fan light fixtures.

Reflector

These feature a shiny reflector to direct the light. In many new homes and renovations, down-light recessed can fixtures are becoming increasingly popular, and reflector CFL bulbs yield the ideal fit for them. Reflector bulbs also work nicely in upright can fixtures, track lighting and accent lighting fixtures. Be sure to select bulbs that fit well and don’t protrude from the fixture, or they might cause glare.