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Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

New light bulb regulations set by recent energy efficiency
legislation are going into effect beginning January 2012. The
changes brought on by the regulations will phase out current
incandescent light bulbs for more energy-efficient bulbs.

Switching to and using energy-efficient bulbs does not

necessarily mean the end of all incandescent bulb use. However,
it does mean that the incandescent bulb as we know it has to be
improved to work at set efficiency guidelines in order to meet the
new government standards.

Read below to find out more about the new regulations and how
to use energy-efficient light bulbs that will work best in your
home or workshop. Then visit your local True Value hardware
store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to reduce
energy costs and consumption and save on your home’s energy
bill.

Understand the New Law

The first phase of The Energy Independence and Security Act of
2007 goes into effect in January 2012 and requires that most
household light bulbs use fewer watts of electricity while
providing a similar output of lumens (measure of light bulb
brightness). For example, regulations require that light bulbs that
use 100 watts of electricity must now use 72 watts maximum. To
be in compliance with the first phase of the new standards,
manufacturers must discontinue the production of the 100-watt
bulbs by 2012.

Traditional-style incandescent bulbs, that have already been

produced and are currently available in stores, can still be used in
your light fixtures. However, there is a timeline in place for
phasing out less energy-efficient incandescent bulbs for bulbs that
are more effective at saving energy. The second phase of the
regulations, which begin in January 2013, means bulbs that now

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put off 75 watts will need to use 53 watts maximum. In 2014,

60-watt and 40-watt bulbs will be required to use 43 and 29
watts, respectively. And by 2020, the regulations require that light
bulbs be 60 to 70% more efficient than the standard bulbs today.

The law does not apply to some specialty incandescent bulbs.

Appliance bulbs, colored bulbs and heavy-duty, shatter-resistant
bulbs are a few of the bulbs that will not be subject to the new
regulations.

Get to Know Energy-Efficient Bulbs

There are a number of bulb options available at your local True
Value hardware store that meet the new requirements, provide
close to or the same amount of light output and last longer than
standard incandescent bulbs. Energy-efficient bulbs work with
conventional, medium screw-based sockets. Listed below are the
three most common bulb types you can use in place of traditional
incandescent light bulbs.

Halogen Incandescent Bulbs

Halogen incandescent bulbs look and work similarly to standard
incandescent light bulbs, but last two to three times longer and
use about 25% less energy. Halogen gas inside the bulbs
conserves their tungsten filament making them burn more
efficiently and for increased duration. They are also fully
dimmable, much like their standard incandescent precursors.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL)

By now most people are familiar with the distinctive, spiral shape
of standard CFL bulbs. CFLs use 75% less energy and put off
75% less heat than traditional incandescent bulbs, and last 10
times longer. These energy-efficient bulbs have been growing in
popularity in recent years and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) recommends installing qualified CFLs in fixtures
that are used at least 15 minutes at a time or several hours per
day, both indoors and out. CFL bulbs are ideal for fixtures located
in family and living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms and
bedrooms. In addition, some CFL designs are dimmable.
Compared to a standard 60-watt incandescent bulb, which
provides 13 to 14 lumens per watt, an equivalent CFL bulb gives
off between 55 and 70 lumens per watt.

Safety Alert!

Compact fluorescent light bulbs contain small amounts of

mercury (4 milligrams or less), as most fluorescents do.
Because of this, they should be disposed of properly when
they break or cease to function. You should check with
your local municipality on how to dispose of or recycle
CFLs in your area. For more information see the EPA’s
suggestions on cleaning up broken CFLs and recycling
them.

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While you should take care when cleaning up broken CFL bulbs
or disposing of inactive, intact bulbs, they are completely safe to
use. No mercury is released when the light bulb is working or
handled. The amount of mercury inside of a CFL bulb is small.

LED Bulbs
The LED light bulb uses at least 75% less energy and lasts 15
times longer than a standard incandescent bulb. They also turn on
instantly without a warm-up time and give off much less heat
than standard bulbs. Compared to a standard 60-watt
incandescent bulb, an equivalent LED bulb can give off between
60 and 100 lumens per watt.

How to Shop for New Bulbs

Shopping for energy-efficient bulbs that meet new regulation
standards requires the bulbs to be purchased by lumens instead of
watts.

Energy-efficient bulb packaging currently provides helpful

information detailing how a bulb’s light output compares to
traditional incandescent light output. For example, if you want
the light output of a 100-watt bulb, look for a bulb that provides
1,600 lumens of light. Look for 800 lumens if you usually use a
60-watt bulb for light fixtures in your home. A CFL bulb that
provides 450 lumens is equivalent to a traditional 40-watt bulb.
Starting in 2012, new light bulb packaging will include
prominent displays of the number of lumens the bulb gives off
and an estimate of how much money can be saved per year by
using the bulb.

What Are the Benefits?

According to the EPA, there are 4
billion light bulb sockets in the U.S.
and more than 3 billion of them still use standard incandescent
light bulbs. Ninety percent of the electricity used by
incandescents is lost as heat given off by the bulbs. Using energy-
efficient light bulbs saves energy by requiring less electricity to
work. When more people begin to use CFL and LED bulbs, it
means reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants. The
bulbs save electricity and help the environment at the same time.
After the new regulations set forth by the law go into effect, U.S
households will be on the way to collectively saving close to $6
billion in 2015, according to an estimate by the U.S. Department
of Energy.

Click here to learn more about light bulb legislation, proper use
of different bulb types and to shop for light bulbs.

Congratulations, you’re now well versed in the new light bulb

regulations and technology. For all your home improvement
projects, visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools,
products and expert advice you need to start right.

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For more project ideas, visit the Project Library >

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