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Want Style And Energy Efficiency? Use Compact Fluorescent Modern Table Lamps

If you’re decorating your home, you know how important it is to have good lighting design for each room. Table lamps are not only useful, but contribute important accent lighting to living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. But these days, energy efficiency is another huge factor in lamp selection. If you’re looking for modern table lamps that will not only look good, but go easy on your utility bill, look for ones that take compact fluorescent bulbs.

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) have started replacing incandescent lamps because they give the same amount of light, but use less power and last longer. Although the bulbs cost a little more at first, they can save you over $30 in electricity costs compared to incandescents. They also save about 2,000 times their own weight in greenhouse gas emissions! If you currently have incandescent lamps or are looking to buy some, most CFL bulbs will fit into their fixtures.

CFL’s consists of a gas-filled tube and an electronic or magnetic ballast. Electricity flows through the ballast and makes the gas in the tube glow with UV light. Magnetic ballast bulbs tend to flicker a bit when they are switched on, and they are heavier, so of your lamp is delicate you may prefer an electronic ballast. Electronic ballasts don’t flicker and they light up immediately, and are more energy efficient than magnetic. Most CFL’s you’ll find have electronic ballasts.

CFL’s come in many sizes and shapes, so it’s easy to find a bulb that fits your table lamp. Some have log tubes, and others have a spiral or round tube shape. There are models that can be used with a dimmer, but not all of them can so if your table lamp is on a dimmer switch, make sure you buy a CFL that is compatible.

Table lamps are often left on for a long period of time, so CFL’s are a wise choice. They will last up to 10 times longer that incandescent bulbs, use roughly a quarter of the energy, and put out more light per watt with around 90% less heat.

To illustrate the cost savings, if your table lamp is on for 6 hours a day, it will last over four and a half years while your incandescent lamp will have conked out after less than half a year! So even though you pay more for a bulb (around $15), that is money you don’t have to spend again for several years.

The wattage rating is different, and it can be confusing to know which wattage CFL you need to replace your incandescents. If you usually use a 60 watt incandescent, a 15 watt CFL will give the same amount of light. For 100 watt incandescents, choose a 25 watt CFL. Most bulbs will tell you what the light is equal to compared to other bulbs.

So for your modern table lamps, CFL bulbs are really a no brainer. They save money, are better for the environment, and keep your home bathed in a warm glow all year round…and since you don’t have to change them very often, you can just sit back and enjoy your lamp light.