CFL’s are becoming more popular every day, but there are still a ton of myths about them. Let’s take a look at the big ones:

  • They flicker - The really old CFL’s did flicker, and they were terrible. Fortunately modern day CFL’s have resolved this issue, and they don’t flicker at all.
  • They produce unnatural “alien” light – CFL’s are available in a huge range of light colors – from yellowish to bluish-white, depending on your preference. If you get the yellowish color, you can’t tell the difference between CFL and incandescent.
  • They aren’t as bright as regular light bulbs – Not so. You just need to make sure you match up equivalent lumens ratings. Replacing a 100W bulb with a 13W CFL won’t give off the same light. You’ll need a 23W CFL.
  • They hum – Same as the flickering issue – long gone.
  • The mercury inside is a health hazard – CFL’s do contain mercury, there’s no doubt about it. It’s a very tiny amount though; about 1/5 the amount in a watch battery. In other words, not enough to do any harm, unless you break a bunch.
  • They’re expensive – CFL’s do cost more than regular bulbs up front. But they are readily available for well under $2 per bulb these days, and you’re likely to make up that cost in less than a year with energy costs alone. When you figure that CFL’s last much longer than regular bulbs, you end up way ahead of the game.

The bottom line is this – CFL’s are a no brainer. They will save you money each and every month, with no inconvenience to you. If you’re serious about saving money, then you need to jump on the CFL bandwagon. Oh, and as an added bonus – they’re better for the environment. Since CFL’s use a quarter or so of the energy as a regular bulb, they contribute much less pollution to the environment. I’m no treehugger, but hey I’m not against helping save the world either, especially if I can save money at the same time.