Here’s a guide to bulbs you can use in lighting after you’ve burned your last incandescent light bulb.
For replacing your traditional indoor bulbs, you generally have two choices: a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb or a halogen bulb. Many outdoor bulbs and some lower-wattage indoor bulbs can be replaced with a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb. Usually the packaging on the new light bulb indicates what incandescent light bulb it’s supposed to replace, but here’s a quick guide:
•A 100-watt (W) incandescent can be replaced by a 23W CFL or a 72W halogen.
•A 75W incandescent can be replaced by a 19W CFL or a 43W halogen.
•A 60W incandescent can be replaced by a 13W CFL, a 43W halogen, or a 12W LED.
The three different types of new light bulbs each have their advantages and disadvantages. To figure out what you need, you’ll want to answer some questions about your lighting first.
Did your bedroom light just burn out?
The simplest and easiest way to replace a burnt-out incandescent bulb is to get a CFL. CFLs are available in most home-improvement stores and even some supermarkets and drugstores. CFLs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but use considerably less energy and last longer, saving you money over the course of the light bulb’s life.
If you prefer to wait for the next wave of light bulb technology, keep your eyes peeled for LEDs to fall in price. While LEDs are currently many times more expensive than CFLs, they also use even less energy and last much longer. They are expected to be more widely (and cheaply) available in the next few years.
Do you need light right away?
CFLs take a few seconds to start emitting full light. If you can’t wait that long, investigate halogen bulbs. Halogens are competitively priced with CFLs, though they use more energy than either CFLs or LEDs do.
Are you replacing a light in a fixture with a dimmer switch?
Using a dimmer switch on a CFL can burn the bulb out much more quickly. Look for CFLs specially made for dimmer switches, or look into halogens or LEDs which are dimmer-friendly.
Can you remember to recycle light bulbs?
CFL bulbs, which contain mercury, need to be specially recycled. You can usually recycle them at home-improvement stores, or contact your local sanitation department. (If you break a CFL, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers advice on how to clean it up.) Halogen bulbs can be thrown away with the regular trash; LED bulbs can be recycled.
Do you need light for a specific purpose?
•CFL and LED bulbs sometimes throw off a less flattering light. If you’re displaying artwork, you might prefer the brighter glow of a halogen light.
•LED bulbs have an easier time with targeted light than diffused light, so they’re better at track lighting or under-cabinet lighting than lighting up a room.
•CFL bulbs are not good for lights that are turned off and on for very short stretches several times a day — closet lights, for example.
