Efficient lighting equals higher heat bills: study

[dracodraconis]

Efficient lighting equals higher heat bills: study

A recent study seems to indicate that the energy savings from using CFL bulbs may be offset by an increase in heating. Incandescent bulbs, though less efficient with regard to generating light, also generate heat. Switching to CLF bulbs means that heat source is no longer available so people turn up the furnace. In some cases, the increase in heating costs can exceed the energy saved by using CLF bulbs, particularly in parts of Canada.

Comments

[ancalagon-tb.livejournal.com]

This is probably true of many energy efficient devices, since a lot of waste is lost as heat.

That being said, cold lights during the summer is probably *very* energy advantageous if you are using air conditioning.

[dracodraconis.livejournal.com]

The question is probably the number of hot versus cold days. This may be why they cited parts of Canada (particularly the more northerly and eastern sections) in which this might be a significant effect. if hot days outnumber or equal cold days then there is probably a benefit for using CLFs. At some point, though, as the number of hot days decreases there should come a point at which having cold lights doesn't provide any benefit. The degree of benefit would also vary from year to year depending on local weather patterns. Finally, it would depend on other energy-saving factors that are being implemented.

In the end, CFLs probably provide a net benefit to the system as a whole, but a detriment under certain local conditions.

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

My mom had raised this issue a while ago with me... I don't know why she knows these things.

[dracodraconis.livejournal.com]

Where we live the CFLs probably provide a net benefit, just not as much as we thought.

[waterspyder.livejournal.com]

I'm largely concerned about the mercury in them, and I get annoyed with them over time they just stop lighting up as bright as they used to