I hope I have done some smart spending

[ArchietheDragon]

Nice job, Pat.   Although it seems like you started with the bulbs that won't be on very much (closet, bathroom, laundry) I am sure it will make a difference.    I am trying to talk my parents into using all LED lights in the house they are building. 

[Blonde Granny]

I have this aversion to spending the money to buy these expensive bulbs. They were not installed last year when the house was built, and the electrician even left us some when he finished the job.

Even before my cataract surgery last year my eyes were very sensitive to light, and it's even more so now. Due to that, I don't flip most lights on. The one at my desk is on the most, followed by a small lamp on the kitchen counter, and it has a 15w bulb in it.

I have recently needed to find that 15w bulb and I had to ask an employee at Lowes for help. Has anyone noticed the array of light bulbs in stores?? How on earth does anyone ever make that decision?

[Iggy aka IG]

Pat, please keep us posted on any changes in your electric bill.  I'm curious. 

[Malarky]

What is the quality of the light like?

I really miss the old incandescent light bulbs.  I've spent so much money on the CFLs and I hate them. They don't work instantly, I don't like the weird eerie light and they don't last nearly as long as claimed.  
I'm hesitant to spend more money for light I still can't see by. 

[kjto1]

DH will get the idea and start changing out the bulbs.  I prefer to wait until the old ones burn out.

[TheOtherMe]

I'm another one who is waiting for the old ones to burn out and for my supply of replacements to run out.  Then I will totally switch over.

[saveinla]

We have been buying the 2pk CFl at Costco and buy one every time I go. As the older bulbs burn out, the CFLs have been replacing them. I really like the Costco ones - we bought 2 to compare initially and put 2 next to the 2 regular bulbs and I am not seeing any difference between them.

[kent]

I recently bought my first LED bulb - I am satisfied with the light itself (800 lumens, 3,000k which is a "warm" light)

I'm just not sure how "cost effective" these things are.

UTILITECH brand (the one I bought) 60 watt equivalent using 9.9 watts @ $9.98

by comparison:

FEIT brand CFL (currently installed almost everywhere in the house) 60 watt equivalent using 13 watts (800 lumens) at $2.48 each

So, they cost about four times as much and the somewhat marginal power savings over CFL's brings into question how much more energy is used in the production of these bulb and how long will the really last?  If the alleged 22 year lifespan is accurate, that sounds good to me even though I'll be long gone before replacement is required.

Then in a few years there will be the breakthrough scientific "discovery" that LED bulbs cause birth defects, or cancer or some other darn thing and we should go back to kerosene lanterns like our ancestors - or not

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Aug 8, 2014 0:46:00 GMT -5 @patstab said:

I have been slowly changing to LED bulbs, I hope its worth it as they are expensive. $165 for the 20 small bulbs.

In my living/kitchen/dining, and front hall area I have 30 light bulbs!! 8 are ceiling fans, 6 in a light in what was the dining area now its my office. Today I put in 20 3W small LED lights in fixtures, from our bathroom, closet, and laundry lights.  I like the light they emit.

I was taking the old ones out and a couple the end just fell off, I had to take pliers to get the bulb bases out.  Quite a chore.

So I'm going from 20 60 watt bulbs to 20 3 watt bulbs.  I'm hoping to see a big difference in all this.  I still have 12 bulbs in there to change.  They had 75 watt bulbs in the recessed fixtures and some were flood light bulbs, those things had to use a lot of electricity. I changed these to fluorescent last year and I hope they will get changed this year.

So I still need 6 more 3 watt bulbs, I'm leaving the one in the vent fan it is ok as its fluorescent or will be if its not and the 12 in the living dining room plus one in the front hallway.  Maybe next month I will get those.  We have changed the recessed ones on the front and back porches and a couple of outside lights by the garage.  Lastly will be the lights in the garage, I think there are 10 out there. 

Are any of you changing out your lights out to LED's? 

We did this a while ago.

[marvholly]

I have not changed to LED yet. Considering, especially for the lights that are on the most (kitchen, office, reading lamp). CFLs contain, I believe, mercury and need to go for special recycling which is only done a couple times/year in my area, mostly in the spring or early summer.

Can LEDs just get trashed like regular old time bulbs?

[Blonde Granny]

I believe it was at Lowes last week that I saw bins for recycling those CFL bulbs. Of course, all bets are off if you break one in your house. It sounds like you need a hazmat suit and have to remove everyone including pets from the house until you get it cleaned up.

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2014 5:17:33 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I have not changed to LED yet. Considering, especially for the lights that are on the most (kitchen, office, reading lamp). CFLs contain, I believe, mercury and need to go for special recycling which is only done a couple times/year in my area, mostly in the spring or early summer.

Can LEDs just get trashed like regular old time bulbs?

we have multiple places that take them - Lowes, Home Depot, I think Walmart, etc.  also, you can take them to the landfill any time.

[NoNamePerson]

Have to wonder where the places that collect burned out bulbs dispose of them?