by: Jake Szarcosi
With more people interested in buying eco-friendly products each day; energy saving lamps are fast replacing incandescent bulbs. Even though they cost more than the normal bulbs, you can save significantly on your energy bill by using energy saving lamps. Here are some of the benefits associated with this modern marvel of technology that is lighting up an increasing number of homes around the world each day.
Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) or energy saving lamps as they are popularly called use improved phosphor formulations to emit light that is similar in color to the standard incandescent lamps. Each unit can save as much as $30 over its usable life and significantly lowers the amount of green house gas emission. Most energy saving lamps are designed to replace their incandescent counterparts and can easily fit into existing light fixtures. They also have a longer rated life span.
An energy saving lamp comprises of two parts the gas filled tube on top and the magnetic ballast at the bottom. The electric current flows through the magnetic ballast charging the mercury vapor inside the tube causing an emission of ultraviolet light. This in turn is turned to visible light due to the phosphor coating emitted by the ultra violet light.
There two versions of energy saving lamps available in the market are:
Integrated: They comprise of a gas filled tube and a magnetic ballast put together in a bayonet or Edison screw fitting. They can easily be used to replace the incandescent lamps.
Non Integrated: This type of energy saving lamp has a permanent magnetic ballast but the bulb can be replaced. The ballast is placed in the fixtures and the bulb can be easily replaces after it has outlived its productive life. This version is more sophisticated and expensive than the integrated type.
Some of the advantages:
Energy Efficiency: Energy saving lamps need a significantly lower amount of energy to supply the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb. Since electricity is mostly produced by burning fossil fuel, this can equate to a massive reduction in the emission of green house gases and pollutants. Also since most of the energy saving lamps use lower voltage you can use more bulbs without your energy bill going through the roof.
Temperature: Most Incandescent lamps produce a lot of heat due to high energy consumption. But energy saving lamps generate considerably less heat due to the low voltage requirement. So they are ideal for settings that require light sources that emit less heat, such as near plants or paintings. So you can light up every part of your home without being concerned about the damage that the heat may cause.
Life Span: Since the bulbs have a significantly longer life span than the incandescent versions you will be buying fewer bulbs and wont have to go through the hassle of changing the bulbs as often as you normally do.
Designs: Energy saving lamps are available in a range of designs to suit all types of light fixtures so the possibilities are endless. You can use them in any room of your house and even within the floor for displays. They are small enough to be neatly concealed in the ceiling yet provide the same brightness of an incandescent lamp.
So if you haven’t switched over to energy saving lamps as yet, this is certainly a good time to buy a few
Jake Szarcosi is a freelance writer with more than 12 years writing experience. Jake is presently engaged as a publicist with our b2b site and has become the company authority on home and energy efficiency. Visit our useful web portal for more information on Energy Saving Lamps and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs.
