CFLs are trumpeted as a silver-bullet in the move toward higher energy efficiency and the fight against global warming, but how much do you know about these relatively new fixtures in your home? The care and feeding of CFLs is dramatically different from that of their predecessor – the incandescent – and even early CFLs. So whether you have several already installed in your home or you’re considering taking the plunge into reducing your carbon footprint and your energy bills for the first time – this list will open your eyes to the benefits and potential pitfalls of compact fluorescent lighting.

1. Lookin’ Good

People used to complain about the light quality provided by CFLs but they’ve really improved. In fact, in a recent side-by-side comparison of light quality where several CFLs were tested against a traditional incandescent bulb, the CFLs all rated better than the old inefficient style. If you find the quality of light from CFLs isn’t what you’re used to, try going one step higher in wattage. While CFLs are marketed as “60W equivalent” you may perceive a reduction in light levels due to differences in the way light is diffused from a CFL or the way the bulb sits in the fixture.

2. Dare to Compare

Not all CFLs are created equal and you tend to get what you pay for. Off-brand or dollar-store CFLs may die sooner than you expect or fail to provide the quality of light you hoped for – so don’t cheap out. This review of seven different CFLs is a good place to start but since personal preference is a factor I recommend buying several types to compare before stocking up to outfit your entire home. Try before you buy and you won’t be disappointed.

3. Different Strokes for Different Folks

As the quality of compact fluorescent bulbs on the market has steadily improved so has the variety of bulb sizes, wattages and types available. Today you can get CFLs for nearly any fixture type. Whether you need bulbs for your chandelier, outdoor floodlights, appliances, dimmable fixtures or even to spookify your house for Halloween – there’s a CFL for the job. Dimmable CFLs are relatively new on the market and it should be noted that the dimmable range is approximately from 20-80% of full power while incandescent bulbs can dim from 0-100%.

4. Take Your Time

While appliance CFLs are now available I decided against getting one when our fridge bulb died because CFLs don’t take quick on/off cycles well (see #8) and don’t achieve full color or brightness for about 60 seconds (longer than I even leave the fridge open). Fortunately, modern CFLs shouldn’t flicker when turned on (if yours do try a more reputable brand) but there is sometimes a slight delay (0.5 - 1 second) when you turn them on. The moral of the story? Relax! You’ll barely notice the slow reaction time and 60 second warm-up period after a week living with CFLs.

5. Got Mercury?

Most people know that CFLs contain the hazardous heavy-metal mercury, but did you know that the net mercury released into the environment can actually be lower than incandescent bulbs which contain no mercury? As you can see from this graph, an incandescent bulb powered by coal-fired power plants actually contributes significantly more mercury than a CFL powered by the same coal thanks to its superior energy efficiency.

This should quell any large-scale environmental concerns about mercury but the fact remains that you’re bringing a hazardous substance into your home, so some special care is needed. If you break a CFL in your home, the EPA recommends you take the following steps:

1. Immediately open windows to reduce the concentration of mercury in the room (mercury vaporizes quite easily).
2. Don’t touch the spilled mercury.
3. Quickly clean up the broken glass carefully (but don’t use your bare hands or a vacuum)
4. Wipe the area with a paper towel to remove all the tiny bits of glass and mercury.
5. Seal the paper towel and glass pieces in a plastic bag and bring the sealed bag to your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) centre.

While this sounds a bit scary I’ve found CFLs are a lot tougher than incandescents and still haven’t broken one after several years of use. It’s also important to note that a new breed of low-mercury CFL is becoming increasingly available. Dispose of spent CFLs by bringing them back to where you bought them for recycling or dispose of them at your local Household Hazardous Waste depot along with your used batteries and paint - never toss them in the trash.

6. Money in the Bank

CFLs pay for themselves several times over, providing upwards of $30 in energy savings over the life of the bulb. Since lighting accounts for approximately 9% of home energy use switching to efficient CFLs throughout your home can save you up to 7% of your annual electricity bill. So don’t balk at the high price at the register – rest easy with the knowledge that the added expense will find its way back into your wallet soon enough (and you can always keep an eye on GreenDeals Daily for additional CFL savings).

7. There’s a New Kid on the Block

Keep your eye out for LED (light emitting diode) bulbs which may supplant CFLs as the ultimate energy efficient bulb. There are still some issues to be worked out before they’re ready for the mainstream but given that they last 5-10 times longer than CFLs and boast 30% electrical efficiency compared to 7-8% for CFLs and 2% for incandescents – they’re one to watch.

8. Live Long and Prosper

CFLs last a long time - in ideal circumstances they can last 10-15 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This makes CFLs ideal for hard to reach fixtures and lights that are on continuously, but to achieve such a long lifespan there are a few things you need to know. While CFLs run considerably cooler than their predecessors, unless you buy specially designed bulbs, the ballast (the large plastic base) can be quite temperature sensitive. You’ll want to buy special Reflector-CFLs (R-CFLs) for recessed fixtures in order to get maximum lifespan and consider specifically designed bulbs for other enclosed fixtures. Another important tip to keep your CFLs healthy is to be careful of installing them where they will be cycled on/off extremely frequently. Tests have shown that 5-minute on/off cycling can reduce the lifespan of a CFL by up to 85%.

9. Cool Runnings

Compact fluorescent bulbs run much cooler than incandescents. This is the key to their efficiency in fact, they convert more electricity into light and less into heat. Because CFLs don’t pump out as much heat they won’t be very effective in your easy-bake oven, but they also won’t heat up your house. This is a double-edged sword – in the winter they may increase the need for other heating sources but in the summer they reduce the need for air-conditioning. Despite all this CFLs have still been shown to save 75-80% of net energy use over incandescents in temperate climates (more in hot climates, less in cold).

10. Sometimes change is hard

Finally, while many CFLs approximate the shape of incandescent bulbs some fixtures just won’t play nice with them. For these special cases there’s the harp adapter and the socket extender which can be had for a buck or two. Don’t forget to try a higher wattage bulb if at first the CFLs doesn’t meet you expectations, this can sometimes happen with fixtures designed for incandescents.

There, you’re all out of excuses!

Welcome to the world of cheap, beautiful compact fluorescent lighting!