CFL Bulbs Can Save You Money, But There is Something Else You Should Know

Back in March, we installed CFL bulbs throughout our home. It ended up saving us a bit of money on our electric bill. With saving money like that, I forgot to really understand the new product I was using. I am thankful for an email that I received from a reader letting me know something very important about CFLs that I didn’t even think about.

CLF bulbs are supposed to last many years. The GE brand ones I purchased have a 5-year warranty. With having a young child and pets in my home, I didn’t even think about what we should do if a bulb broke. They are not as easy to clean up because CFLs have mercury in them. While it is a small amount (about the size of the tip on a ball point pen [source energystar.gov]), you should still take some care when handling broken CFL bulbs.

Energystar.gov has instructions on what you should do if a CFL bulb breaks.

1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.

2. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag. Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

3. Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag. Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal. Note: some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.

4. If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet: First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.

[Via Energystar.gov]

I am still a believer in CFL bulbs and how they can help you save money. I know a lot of you use them as well, so I thought the above was great information to pass onto all of you.

Thanks again to the reader who emailed me about this. I appreciate it!

Posted by Tricia on October 4, 2007 at 9:50 AM in Saving Money | 25 Comments »
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Chitown responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Wow…I never thought about that either. Thank you for the information. It’s always best to be as safe and careful as possible.
Chris responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 11:28 am
Thanks for the cleanup tips! How are you liking your new bulbs since you installed them? I know a family with CFLs all around and noticed a definite delay when they came on. Also how did you figure out the color hue? I’ve heard some are soft white/yellow like regular bulbs (which I want) and some give a harsh white/bluish tint…one reason why I hesitate to switch (that and I have trouble justifying the cost when my existing lightbulbs still have lots of life in them).
Tricia responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 11:37 am
There is definitely a delay when turning them on. But, it’s less than a second. You get used to it. As for the color, it seems more white than the bulbs I was using (which were the cheapest of cheap incandescent bulbs). I don’t see a blue hint – just a tad of yellow. They also take a while to get to full brightness (probably about a minute and it’s a gradual increase). Again, you get used to that as well.

As for the cost, a reader gave me a tip that Walmart has come out generic ones under the Great Value label (about 4 for $8.00).

As for your old bulbs, you can always sell them at a garage sale. I did that with ours, except for a few I kept around as emergency and to use for a few sockets where the CFLs wouldn’t fit.
Patrick responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
I’m a fan of the CFLs and just replaced my kitchen lights with them. They do take a little while to reach full brightness, but I actually think the room looks brighter than when I used incandescents lights of the equivalent wattage. I’m satisfied (though I haven’t checked to see if we’ve realized any savings yet.) I doubt it will be much though, as I haven’t replaced every bulb in the house. I’m doing it slowly.
Rich responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Hi Tricia! Thought I would pass on more info. The dangers of CFLs have been overblown for so long and what you blogged is correct, but there are a few more tips on how to handle the waste and clean up.

Not only does this entry from snopes.com debunk some myths about CFLs that people might be concerns about, but it helps to educate even more.

Best to you!!!!
Rich responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
And now…here’s the link. I only thought I did that when I was supposed to put an attachment on an e-mail and have to send it later!

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp
Bob responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I’ve been switching over when I can…

Just FYI, I have found GE’s to be the best of all I have tried. Some of the ones I have are now 10 years old, have survived moves, spills, and still work fine. The delay on the GE bulbs seems to be shorter than on other brands.

The worst I’ve found were the floodlight CFLs (these were Sylvanias)… they spot up badly after awhile and take quite a while to reach full brightness.

All in all, I’m happy with them, especially the GE (no, I don’t work for them) and fine the light quality to be quite good. My biggest complaint is the relative scarcity of dimmable CFLs. Some of the lights I use most often are dimmable….

Also, there are CFLs that claim to use lower levels of toxic materials that may be worth a look….
mapgirl responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I forget which brand I have, but there is no significant delay it turning it on. I think manufacturers are working on that.

If you’re really worried about breakage, reserve them for use only in overhead lights and as the Bradys used to say ‘Don’t play ball in the house.’
MOMM responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
I bought the lightbulbs on clearance at Lowe’s a few months ago. I think they are too much wattage for my lamps though – one buzzed when it is turned on and it had four lightblubs in it, we’ve had to take one out and that stopped the buzzing. I’m sure they’ll last a long time but I can’t say I love them. Maybe I should try a lower wattage though.
Mrs. Micah responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Thanks for sharing. I plan to use CFLs, but it’s good to know that if one breaks I should be careful cleaning it up.
Mark Mcguire responded:
Posted: October 4th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
Wow, who knew but Blogging Away Debt? Thanks for this post. My question, How would I know if the fumes I smell are coming from broken CFLs? Does it smell like rotten eggs or will I see pretty colors?
kitty responded:
Posted: October 5th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Seems like a lot of hustle to me, especially with pets. 1. for example is difficult in an area like the basement. 2. is difficult on a carpet.

Also, if the area is open – e.g. hallway, living room, how are you going to keep a cat away from the area? It’s not like you expect to break a bulb. By the time you get off the chair and prepare for the cleanup, your cat will sure come to investigate. The amount of mercury is small, less than in old thermometers, but for a small animal it may be more harmful.

I don’t know if it worth it to me. I have a few CFL bulbs in my home – mostly overhead, and I’be been generally pleased with them, but I am reluctant to buy more of them. I am all for saving energy, but my cat comes first.
Singapore Loans responded:
Posted: October 6th, 2007 at 3:06 am
My GE is still going strong a few years, i’ve yet to encounter any light bulb. anyway my dad handle that at home, but yeah when i get my own place one day i need the tips in here
Careful with those CFL bulbs! « A Reality of My Own responded:
Posted: October 6th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
[...] post over at BloggingAwayDebt, one of my 10 favorite blogs.Â The blogger posted instructions on what to do when a CFL bulb breaks. My reaction was that it sounded a lot like an asbestos cleanup.Â You have to dampen the area, [...]
JC Carvill responded:
Posted: October 6th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Great idea to save money.money making process having two great deal one you can earn more money another you can save money.by these process you can make money depends up to you what you prefer.
last in line responded:
Posted: October 6th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Hey. I just found your blog day. Interesting article about the CFL light bulbs. I only found out the dangers of it after I had broken (it was a regular florescent light bulb though, not CFl) it and picked up the pieces (some by hand!!) and not leaving the room or ventilating it. The next day I found out the horrors of CFL light bulbs if they happen to break. I called my Dr. and he said it’s not a problem if it’s a regular fluorescent light bulb and not CFL. Do you happen to know anything about the dangers of regular fluorescent light bulbs when they break. Mine was regular circular light bulb on the ceiling( not the coiled kind)
DebtBeater responded:
Posted: October 9th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Definitely good tips. I’ve been using CFLs for a couple years now. Amusing thing is that I didn’t do it to save money on electricity…I was just tired of changing out light bulbs every week because the kids leave on so many lights in the house!

We’ve finally established SOME resemblance of a habit to turn off lights, but the little ones still don’t do it all the time.

I’ve also used up some of the 5-yr-warranty bulbs to the point where they don’t even light up the room in less than 2 years. I think there’s definitely a difference in brands or something. I’m going to stop getting the cheap ones on sale and see if that helps.
T.G.I.B! 101207 | TheLocoMono responded:
Posted: October 12th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
[...] Awesome article by Blogging Away Debt about CFL Bulbs Can Save You Money, But There Is Something Else You Should Know. [...]
Joe responded:
Posted: October 14th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Please don’t forget that the mercury makes these bulbs hazardous waste (just like batteries). It is illegal to just throw them in the trash. You have to take them to professional recycling centers. So, make sure to take that into account when you regard these bulbs as convenient and $$ saving.

They are illegal to throw in the trash because the mercury is almost impossible to contain in a landfill. Eventually it WILL end up in water supplies & the food chain.

Do you really want to leave that mess to your children and grandchildren over a few cents?
Jo responded:
Posted: October 16th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Hopefully in the future there will be an easy way to dispose of them safely…as there will be so many needing disposal– maybe monthly pickup by our trash disposal company. Home Depot has a great sale on now on the 40 and 60 watt CFL’s…only $4 for a pack of 4. The payback time will be very short and they will help us conserve energy resources. Our country needs to reign in our prodigious use of the world’s resources!
Bobbi responded:
Posted: October 27th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
The CFLs are going to be the ‘energy hogs’ when LED ‘bulbs’ are in common usage.
The equivalencies are__________>>>>

a 100W incandent ~equals~ 23W CFL or 3W LED

The light produced is equivalent in Lumens.
The colors differ slightly. If that is important, a person can shop for their preference.

The CFLs vary with the gas used in the bulb. There are versions designed to look like ‘natural’ light.

The LEDs are manufactured with different color DIODES- (THE ‘D’ in the name) and can be customized. We will be able to decorate with colors from our lighting, rather than needing to repaint when our mood changes!

The energy costs are strikingly different.
A.J. - thenewself.com responded:
Posted: November 6th, 2007 at 10:38 am
I switched to GFL’s about 5 years ago. To date, I’ve only had to replace 2 bulbs. One I broke and one just went out (well, it sorta went out, it suddenly started taking a minute or longer to warm up and come on so I replaced it).

I have been very interested in LED bulbs but todate they are difficult to find and very pricey compared to others. As they reach mass production, I will likely switch over to them. I am sure that you can get a truer white out of an LED light than a CFL.

I choose Sylvania for my CFL’s because they have been whiter than GE in my experience (I have some of both and my place is very dark so the same wattage in Sylvania and GE, the Sylvania produces a whiter light which ultimately feels like more light in the same room.
vivek responded:
Posted: July 15th, 2010 at 8:56 am
CLFs are the good energy savers,which are using over in rural places.But today we have LED lightings.And it will not affect over CLFs.Yes we need to use LEDs over CLFs…………..THANK YOU>>>>>>>>>>
cozy responded:
Posted: January 25th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
I will not buy a single CFL ever. I am not going to put a hazardous waste product knowlingly in my home. What kind of “saving the environment” is that? Of course everyone is going to throw them away. Are you kidding me? It’s all going to the land fill. Mark my words, you are going to be drinking mercury ground water run off for years to come.
Thor Elfdail responded:
Posted: January 27th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Aw, just snort the stuff and quit bellyaching. Why be so paranoid (not). Yeah, I won’t have those things in my home.