CFLs are growing in popularity because of energy efficiency. They use less energy, less wattage and have the same light quality. But what’s the difference between the Incandescents and CFL’s? The Aiken Standard breaks it down for you.

Incandescent bulbs will begin to phase out phase-out next year under federal legislation passed in 2007. Under the measure, all light bulbs must use 25 percent to 30 percent less energy than today’s products by 2012 to 2014. The phase-in will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014. By 2020, bulbs must be 70 percent more efficient.

According to EnergyStar, if every American home replaced just one light with a CFL, enough energy would be saved to light 3 million homes for one year, to save about $600 million in annual energy costs and to prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.

Incandescent light bulbs create light by passing electricity through a metal filament until it becomes so hot that it glows. These bulbs are familiar to most people and are the most inexpensive option as far as upfront costs.

However, they are not as energy efficient, lasting only 700 to 1,000 hours, they emit 90 percent of their energy as heat.
In CFL’s, an electric current is driven through a tube containing gases. This reaction produces ultraviolet light that gets transformed into visible light by the fluorescent coating on the inside of the tube.

CFL’s last up to 10 times longer than incandescents and use up to 75 percent less energy. This translates into more than $40 saving per bulb in energy costs over its lifetime. They come in a variety of shapes.

They do have some cons. They contain a small amount of mercury, four milligrams and are more expensive than incandescents. The bulb takes a few seconds to produce light as the gas warms up.

LEDs Use light-emitting diodes to produce light. The movement of electrons through a semiconductor material illuminates the diodes. These types of bulbs use at least 75 percent less energy and last at least 15 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Original article can be seen on TMCnet.com

Many business owners and commercial property owners are looking for ways to increase their bottom line while decreasing expenses. Non-fixed costs are way they can do this, and with the increase in heating expenses, along with the tax credits to those who improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, many business owners and commercial building owners are investigating their utility bills and wondering how to save on energy costs. As a contractor you can bring your knowledge and cost savings to the table when discussing renovations or improvements.

As you know, investing in building renovations and home improvements can actually yield cost saving results. One of the many ways you as a contractor can do this for your customers is to improve the existing insulation with a reflective radiant barrier from Service Partners.

Although radiant barrier technology is by no means new, radiant barriers are being used for the purpose of building insulation and are considered one of the newer methods for shielding the interior of a commercial building from both the heat of summer and the cold, frigid temperatures of winter.

As media attention and commercial business interests have increased in making more energy efficient and ecologically green investments, radiant barriers are quickly becoming one of the most economical ways to augment a buildings’ existing insulation. Unlike traditional fiberglass batting or loose fill insulation, which acts to slow the progression of heat transfer, you can set yourself apart from the everyday contractor by showing your potential clients these radiant barriers and their cost savings. These barriers will actually reflect the majority of any heat transfer taking place allowing the building interior to remain at a more comfortable temperature.

With less need for air & heat conditioning cycles it is clear to see how this will not only save your customers money in operating costs, but also minimize the wear and tear of the HVAC system. Be sure to contact us to learn more about our weatherization products.