Attention everybody, those screw in spiral fluorescent light bulbs are actually great energy saving devices. They save you money in the long run. General Electric made the one that I use daily. For years you probably have seen these funny looking light fixtures at hardware stores and electric equipment aisles in discount department stores. You probably took one glance at the price of these energy-saving spiral fluorescents and bought a box of regular light bulbs. Those old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs that Thomas Edison invented a zillion years ago are being targeted for elimination. Why you might ask? Because the new screw in fluorescents are a better value over the long run.
Another name for these fluorescent spiral screw in replacement bulbs is compact fluorescent. What is the difference to me you might ask? And why would I spend all that money for just one light bulb? The short answer is, that despite the higher price, the compact fluorescent is cheaper over a period of time. If you read the description on the compact fluorescent package it explains the energy usage. The compact fluorescent light bulb uses far less energy and produces the same basic amount of light.
For the last year I have been using one of these spiral compact fluorescent light bulbs for 14 hours a day with no problems whatsoever. I bought It at Wal-Mart for about $3.50. It is made by General Electric. I used to use quite a few replacement bulbs in the same lamp. It is one of those clamp on lights that cost seven dollars at the discount store. Being able to move the light comes in handy for various chores that need light to accomplish. The problem is that a movable light is fragile. Seems that the slightest jar would break the filament in the light bulb. Then I would have to scramble around the house looking for another fragile replacement bulb. I must’ve gone through at least three or four bulbs a year. The light bulb would go out at the oddest times.
In the year since I bought this 13 Watt compact GE fluorescent bulb, I have bumped and jarred it quite a bit. There were times that I was sure that I broke it. Well, it is a lot tougher than the old style screw in a light bulbs. Seems like if you just breathed on the old-style bulbs, the filament would break. I like this compact fluorescent bulb and would recommend it to anyone considering a purchase.
I decided to give the compact fluorescent a try when I read an article about saving money. The article pointed out that you could save money over the long run by using these energy saving bulbs. According to the package it said you would save over $30 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb. My monthly electric bill does show the savings that General Electric predicted.
The compact fluorescent bulb gives off a lot less heat. From what I read regular bulbs waste energy by giving off this heat. My compact fluorescent bulb uses only 13 Watts of energy. It also is comparable to a 60 Watt light bulb. The same amount of light is given off for far less wattage. That is where the money is saved. You really can’t tell the difference between an incandescent bulb and a spiral compact fluorescent anymore. The light produced looks the same.
Wal-Mart has a big campaign going to sell more of these bulbs. Of course they are out to make a profit too. As oil costs go up so will your electric bills. Using less power is going to save many barrels of oil in the next decades to come. The price of the bulbs is going down as more of them are being purchased. I am satisfied with my GE compact fluorescent. I recommend that you give them a try in your home.
