From Tim Hance
We’ve all heard about the coming ban of standard 100-watt incandescent bulbs. Contrary to rumor, you will not be forced to buy Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs).
“You will still be able to buy incandescent,” says Noah Horowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). “The only difference being that the new and improved ones are more efficient.”
The new incandescent bulbs operate and look just like the old-fashioned bulbs that you are used to; they have the same shape and base design. Horowitz says most people won’t notice any difference in the color or quality of light. What is different is that they have an improved filament design, which makes them 28% more efficient than the law requires.
So replacements for your old 100-watt incandescent bulbs will be labeled “72-watt soft white.” Sylvania, Philips, and GE all make similar versions. The NRDC has a very good light bulb buying guide to help shed a little light on the subject: www.ndrc.org/energy/
Tim Hance is a Board Certified Master Home Inspector
Thank you, Tim. For those of us with all electric heat, it’s nice to know we can still get some ambient warmth from incandescent bulbs, not available in the new compact fluorescent bulbs – which, according to studies in the UK, are more difficult to dispose of and far more toxic, due to a much higher mercury content. Would you please speak to this? thank you.
Thanks Tim. The continued availability of incandescent bulbs is important news to those of us that have dimmers on nearly every light in our house. CFL’s cannot be dimmed so being able to buy high-quality incandescent bulbs is important to us. The use of dimmers greatly reduces energy use and increases bulb life. We are still using the same lamps after eleven years!
Your link should read
https://www.nrdc.org/energy/lightbulbs/files/lightbulbguide.pdf