Using Fluorescent Lighting to Save Money in NJ
With the high cost of New Jersey energy, you might be contemplating a myriad of ways to save money. The last thing you want to do is see all of your hard earned money go to pay off a massive monthly energy bill. If you have ever heard that using florescent light bulbs will save you money on your energy bill, you were right. Team Electric Plumbing & Air want to help you save money each month, so grab a shopping cart because it is time to buy some CFL’s or compact fluorescent lights.
The Incandescent Light Bulb
Your normal everyday light bulb is referred to as incandescent. Electricity runs through a filament inside of the bulb. The resistance causes the filament to heat up. The heat is high enough to make the filament become white hot and that is how you get light from your light bulb. You may notice that small rooms like closets heat up when you turn on the lights. A lot of energy is wasted with an incandescent light bulb as heat. That is where the difference comes in when you use a fluorescent light bulb.
The Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL)
The CFL doesn’t waste energy as heat; rather it uses the electricity efficiently. In the fluorescent light tube, there is mercury gas. When electrons flow through the tube, they excite the mercury atoms and light is produced. Fluorescent light bulbs do not produce as much heat as a normal light bulb. CFL’s last 7 to 10 times longer than a normal light bulb. One of the best places you can put CFL’s is in hard to reach places. Imagine that light above your stairs that requires you to get a ladder, with a CFL you will be getting on that ladder 7 to 10 times less often.
The Math
Even though a CFL bulb is 2 to 3 times more expensive than a normal bulb, the price savings comes from use. In New Jersey, we have an average kilowatt rate of 15 cents per hour. Let’s say you have a normal 60 watt light bulb. The same light bulb as a CFL uses 13 watts for the same amount of light. That is a savings of 47 watts. Over the space of 1000 hours (which is the average lifespan of an incandescent light bulb) you have saved $77. That is just one light bulb. Imagine if you replaced ten incandescent lights with CFL, you have increased your savings to $770. That is more than enough to buy that new dishwasher you always wanted.
The Caveat
Remember though, these numbers are based on lights that are used for 1000 hours straight. In order to get immediate savings out of your CFL lights, you will need to put them in places of high use. Family rooms, kitchens, your kids’ bedrooms because you know how they love leaving the lights on. When you want to save money, remember that Team Electric Plumbing & Air is here to help.
