How To Get The Most From Your CFL Bulbs

Did you know that you’re not supposed to put CFL bulbs into rooms where you frequently turn the lights on and off (like the bathroom)?

Yep, it’s true. I just learned that one myself today, and it goes a long way towards explaining why so many of my bathroom CFLs have burned out in the past few years.

So, I decided to write a post about how compact fluorescent bulbs actually work, so all of us can extend the life of these eco-friendly bulbs.

How CFL Bulbs Work

To see how CFL bulbs really work, let’s take a step back in time and examine the incandescent bulb.

Incandescent bulbs work by using electricity to heat the small filament inside the glass. The filament gets white hot, which is what produces the light you see coming out of the bulb.

Now, CFL bulbs don’t have a filament. They contain a gas (a mixture of argon and mercury vapor) which is excited by the electricity flowing through the bulb. When the gas reacts to the electricity it emits ultraviolet light. When the UV light hits the white coating of the bulb, you get light that you can actually see.

Fabulous.

The Slow Brightening of CFL bulbs

CFL bulbs are slow to light up. Most take about a minute to reach full brightness, and some brands take as long as 3 minutes. The reason is because it takes time for the electricity to excite the gas inside the bulb, which is why they work best when they’re not turned off and on frequently.

GE recommends putting CFL bulbs in rooms where they’ll be left on for at least 15 minutes at a time.

How To Save Money On CFL Bulbs

The best way to make sure you’re getting your investment back on CFL bulbs is to put them in rooms where you have the lights on for longer periods.

The kitchen is a good room for CFL bulbs. So is the living room, the bedrooms, or your home office.

Can you put them in places like the bathroom? Sure you can. But I can tell you from personal experience that they’ll burn out from getting flicked on and off so much, and you’ll be sad. I sure was.

I also have them in my laundry room in the basement, and it’s the same story. I don’t spend a lot of time in there, so the lights get flicked on while I throw in a load, and flicked off when I leave.

I have made many trips to Home Depot to recycle my CFL bulbs. And I had no idea that frequently turning them on and off was the problem.

It’s All In How You Screw It In…

Want to know what else I learned about CFL bulbs?

You’re not supposed to screw them in by holding the glass. Doing this weakens the connection between the glass and the base, which can make them burn out faster.

To screw them in, hold onto the base of the bulb. Touching the glass is a “no no”.

Give Your CFL Bulbs Air

CFL bulbs are sensitive to temperatures, which is why they’re slower to come on in cold weather.

Energy Star says that putting CFL bulbs in enclosed fixtures (like ceiling fan globes) will shorten their life because heat builds up in the enclosure. They work best in open air fixtures like lamps or open globes.

“Set” Your CFL Bulbs When You First Get Them

I found this nifty tip at TipHero.

They claim that if you leave your CFL bulb on for at least 20 minutes the very first time you use it, you’ll get a brighter bulb for the rest of its life.

Apparently, this allows the ions in the bulb to fully charge, resulting in a brighter glow ever time you turn it on.

Could I substantiate this claim? Well, I couldn’t find another source to back this one up, so I’m a bit leery if it truly works or not. If any of you know if this is legit, please chime in and let me know!

A Brand New CFL Bulb Is Coming Out Soon…

I’m really excited to tell you that this morning I interviewed Tom Irving. He’s the CEO of Clear Lite, a new CFL bulb that poses no risk for mercury off-gassing when it’s broken.

Yeah, it’s really cool. I was amazed at the effort he’s put into making CFL bulbs safer for us and the environment, and the technology that’s about to come out is really incredible. Soon, we won’t have to worry about mercury when we break a CFL. Amazing.

My full interview with Tom, and the run down on this brand new product, is going to post this week. And, he’s where I got some of these nifty tips about CFL bulbs, so thanks Tom!

Stay tuned for the Clear Lite feature, again, which will be out in a few days.