FL lights no longer give just a dim flicker. Yes they are the green alternative to incandescent light bulbs, but they can also be interesting and are a favourite of modern designers. So why are they a good green alternative, and what’s so fashionable about them?
Any electrician will tell you that fluorescent lights have a tendency to last four to ten times as long as incandescent (filament) light bulbs and use roughly 20% of the energy. The trouble with incandescent light bulbs is that 95% of the energy they use is lost through heat and only 5% is in fact used to light up a room.
Despite the fact that fluorescent bulbs are more costly to buy initially, they will save you cash in the long run, generally paying for themselves in under a year. And they fit in nearly all existing light fittings, so you won’t even call for an electrician to change your fittings.
One more direct ecological advantage is that since the light bulbs last so much longer they generate less waste for the dump as less are being tossed away every year. And once you’re fitting them and doing your bit, you might even feel so green and greenly conscious that you take your responsibilities further and turn lights off when they’re not being utilized.
When you do require to toss away fluorescent light bulbs at that time endeavor and do so correctly. Unlike filament light bulbs, they contain a small quantity of mercury which is environmentally harmful if they are binned, so ask your local committee about recycling facilities for light bulbs and do your part to keep them out of the dump.
Now for the fun part! Fluorescent lights are great if you want to create a colour wash on the wall or against draperies. They may be recessed so that the luminosity seems to come magically from a concealed source and if the light shines against a reflective facade, you can make a really spectacular effect. You can also talk to your electrician about installing more than one fluorescent tube so that you have a option of colours at your fingertips.
FL lights of course come in white but also four fundamental colours – red, yellow, green and blue. If not any of these suit your scheme, you can put a white light following a coloured filter of your choice or even get coloured theatrical lighting goo which can be practical to the bulb to achieve the effect you’re after. There are even companies that advertise bulbs previously coated, offering a range of colours if you can’t face doing it yourself.
If you’re putting together a lighting plan bear in mind that fl white light tends to look cool instead of than warm. Fluorescent bulbs can be included into a dimmer plan when of course they become less bright, but they won’t produce a warm glow like a incandescent bulb. As well as being put onto dimmers your electrician could go one step further and incorporate them into a plan of pre-set scenes to make numerous mood options for your room.
The reality is that in 2007 the US Government announced that normal light bulbs are to be barred by 2011, which should help save around 5 million tonnes of CO2 by US domestic users alone. So it makes sense to get ready now for this new age in lighting. Light bulbs in the US are now graded A-G for environmental efficiency, so it’s easy to pick ones that do less damage and that will save you cash in the mid and long term. And it doesn’t mean living in gloom – fluorescent lights have come a long way since their flickering beginnings.
