What's the best way to begin using CFL/LED bulbs?

With lighting accounting for close to 20 percent of the average home's electric bill, you'll start saving money and make an environmental impact by switching from incandescent bulbs to either CFL or LED bulbs. Here are some tips on strategies on how to get the most effect--in terms of energy savings and usage--from the switch:

• First change out older bulbs in rooms where lights are used the most, such as the kitchen, living room, and dining room.
• Match the light output (measured in lumens) of your new LED or CFL bulb to that of your old incandescent bulb so that you'll get the same amount of light.

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Can CFL bulbs & LED bulbs be used in dimmable lamps?

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Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) bulbs have revolutionized energy-efficient lighting.

Dimming saves energy while setting the right light level to improve mood and ambiance. Screw-in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and screw-in light emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) are a great energy-saving alternative to incandescent or halogen light sources; however, dimming them may be difficult.

LEDs are small, very efficient solid bulbs. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use in the home. LED technology is advancing rapidly, with many new bulb styles available. Initially more expensive than CFLs, LEDs bring more value since they last longer. Also, the price of LED bulbs is going down each year as the manufacturing technology continues to improve.

CFLs are simply miniature versions of full-sized fluorescents. They screw into standard lamp sockets, and give off light that looks similar to the common incandescent bulbs - not like the fluorescent lighting we associate with factories and schools.

The question is, Can CFL bulbs & LED bulbs be used in dimmable lamps?

Both CFL bulbs & LED bulbs can be used in dimmable lamps!, but the CFL must be labeled as dimmable; be sure to check the product details or packaging. Dimmable CFLs maintain light color more consistently than incandescent bulbs, while dimming to 10 to 40% of its original brightness (where incandescents dim from 100% brightness to zero, and change light color from bright white to warm yellow). Dimmable CFL bulbs typically come in a soft white color temperature.

As for LED bulbs, again be sure to check the product details or packaging to see if it's labeled as compatible with dimmers.

Are CFL bulbs dangerous?

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Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs are supposed to be good for your electricity bill. The bulbs use 50 percent less energy and last much longer than incandescent bulbs. Vicki Cobb says one of the bulbs, installed in a lamp, has lasted four years.

But are they bad for your health?

CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury (4 milligrams on average) sealed within its winding glass tube. This is because the CFL uses mercury vapor is an essential element to creating light within the bulb. No mercury is released when the bulb is intact (not broken) or in use.

The problem comes when a bulb breaks. Mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled and as a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles. At least one case of mercury poisoning has been linked to fluorescents: A 1987 article in Pediatrics describes a 23-month-old who suffered weight loss and severe rashes after a carton of eight-foot (2.4-meter) tubular bulbs broke in a play area.

When a CFL burns out, it's recommended that you take the bulb to a CFL recycling center (the Earth911.com site is a good resource for finding recycling sites near you). When the bulb is recycled, it will go through a mercury absorbing filter to negate any mercury emission into the atmosphere or environment.

If a CFL bulb breaks, make sure people and pets leave the room and air out the room for 5 to 10 minutes. After thoroughly collecting the broken glass and any visible powder, it's recommended that you place the broken CFL pieces into a sealable container and then transfer it to an outdoor trash container.

What are the differences in the types of light bulbs used in the home?

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We've gotten used to the mushroom-shaped incandescent light bulb that's illuminated our homes for generations. But over the last decade, two new light bulb technologies have become more widely available--as well as more affordable--while offering significant energy use and cost savings.

• Incandescent: The most common light bulb, the one that you grew up with, incandescent bulbs are inexpensive and provide a variety of illumination levels (from 15 to 150 watts). However, incandescents are not very efficient, losing up to 95% of its energy as heat (with a 100-watt bulb heating up to around 300 degrees F).
  
• CFL (Compact Fluorescent): A type of fluorescent lamp, CFLs provide the same amount of visible light as incandescents, but they use less power (about 75% less) as well as produce less heat (also about 75%). While they're more expensive, they can last up to 10 times as long as an incandescent bulb and save you up to $40 of energy costs during their life.
  One downside, however, is that CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, which requires extra steps for removing them from your home either after it burns out or if it breaks (see more below). Another frustration about some CFL bulbs is they tend to require a warm-up time of between 30 seconds and one minute before they reach their full brightness.
• LED (Light Emitting Diode): Even more efficient and longer lasting than incandescents and CFLs, LED lamps are the next step to reducing your energy consumption and saving money on your electric bill. You might be familiar with LED lights on electronics (such as a power button), but now lamp bulbs are able to take advantage of multiple illuminator LEDs inside a fixture to produce full spectrum color (i.e., white light). 
  LED bulbs can last up to 50,000 hours (about 8 times the life of a CFL bulb and about 15 times that of an incandescent bulb), and they produce far less heat than incandescents (like CFL bulbs). Unlike CFL bulbs, there's no warm-up time for the LED bulb to get to full brightness. And LED bulbs do not contain mercury, so there's no worry about disposal.