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Shopping for light bulbs
Light bulbs are getting better. Newer bulbs — like halogen incandescents, CFLs and LEDs — last longer and use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, saving you money on your energy bills. In fact, beginning in 2012, everyday light bulbs have to meet new Department of Energy standards for how much energy they use. Bulbs that don't will be phased out over the next couple of years.
Along with this move to more efficient bulbs comes a new way to shop for them.
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We've basked in the golden glow of Thomas Edison’s incandescent lightbulb since the 1800s, but January 2014 marked the end of its run. That’s when the federal government finalized its phase-out of general-purpose incandescent bulbs under the provisions of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.
The law mandated that screw-in bulbs for home use become, on average, 25 percent more efficient by January 2014 and 70 percent more efficient by 2020.
The Department of Energy estimates that Americans will save between $6 billion and $10 billion a year in lighting costs as a result of the new standards.
The most efficient replacements on the market today are halogen-incandescent bulbs, CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) and LEDs (light-emitting diodes), but be prepared for sticker shock. LED bulbs are the most expensive option, costing between $10 and $60 each, but lighting experts say they are a good long-term choice. They can last for up to two decades and save as much as 75 percent in energy costs.
As incandescent bulbs disappear from store shelves, consumers can use the Lighting Facts label to comparison shop for the best new lighting options. The most important thing to look for is the lumens rating, or the amount of light a bulb emits. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
The Lighting Facts label also contains information on estimated yearly costs, the estimated life of the product, the color temperature of the light emitted, the amount of energy used and, in the case of CFLs, information on mercury content.