Saving Cash Using Flourescents . Not Simply A Dim Flicker Any Longer
FL lights no longer provide just a dim flicker. Yes they are the environmental option to normal light bulbs, but they can also be interesting and are a favourite of modern designers. So why are they a good green alternative, and what’s so cool about them?
Any electrician will tell you that fluorescent lights have a tendency to last four to ten times as long as incandescent (filament) light bulbs and use around 20% of the energy. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that 95% of the electricity they use is lost through heat and merely 5% is actually used to light up a room.
Despite the fact that fluorescent bulbs are more costly to buy at first, they will save you cash in the long run, usually paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in nearly all existing light fittings, so you won’t even need an electrician to change your fixtures.
One more direct ecological benefit is that since the light bulbs last so much longer they generate less waste for the dump as fewer are being thrown away every year. And once you’re fitting them and doing your part, you might even feel so green and greenly conscious that you take your responsibilities further and turn lights off when they’re not being utilized.
When you do require to toss away fluorescent light bulbs at that time try and do so correctly. Contrasting normal light bulbs, they contain a small amount of mercury which is ecologically harmful if they are binned, so ask your local committee about recycling facilities for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of the garbage dump.
Now for the fun part! Fluorescent lights are great if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against draperies. They can be recessed so that the glow seems to come magically from a hidden supply and if the light shines against a reflective facade, you can make a thoroughly spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a choice of colours at your fingertips.
FL lights of course occur in white but also four fundamental colours – red, yellow, green and blue. If none of these suit your plan, you could put a white light following a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting goo which can be practical to the bulb to attain the effect you’re after. There are even companies that vend bulbs already coated, offering a range of colours if you can’t face doing it yourself.
If you’re putting together a lighting plan bear in mind that fluorescent white light tends to look cool instead of than warm. FL bulbs can be included into a dimmer plan when of course they become less bright, but they won’t create a warm glow like a filament bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a system of pre-set scenes to generate several mood alternatives for your room.
The fact is that in 2007 the US Administration announced that normal light bulbs are to be barred by 2011, which should help save around 5 million tons of CO2 by US household users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new period in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for green efficiency, so it’s easy to pick ones that do less damage and that will save you money in the mid and long term. And it doesn’t mean living in darkness – fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering early stages.
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