I found the article “Green house effect” in the 27 August edition interesting but I was shocked that the “experts” think low-light bulbs are a straight replacement for the standard filament bulb.

When used in the right application, low-energy bulbs can be very efficient and will save electricity and money. But they can be very costly if used in the wrong application – as Laura Mannino found out.

The makers of low-energy bulbs say they last eight times as long as an equivalent filament bulb when used for long periods of time. In practice they may last a few months or five years, depending on how they are used. The bulb’s life will be drastically cut if it is continually switched on and off.

The low-energy bulb takes about a minute to reach full brightness when new. As the bulb gets older this time stretches up to five minutes, so it should be left to warm up before it is discarded as faulty.

The low-energy bulb gives a diffused light and thus may not be best in a lamp used for reading – particularly important for elderly people – and will not work with dimmer switches or some electronic timers.

So low-energy bulbs are ideal for locations where they will be left on for long periods, such as a dark corridor, a living room or an exterior security light.

Howard Slight, London SE10

Source

Housing Today