CFL LED or Incandescent 

When standing at the local home improvement store the The variety of light bulbs can be overwhelming. Knowing what the different advantages and disadvantages to each type can help you choose based on the situation you will be using them.

---

Your 3 main options

1 - Incandescent:  Because of Congress' new energy efficiency lighting standards that require that new bulbs use 25 to 30 percent less energy than traditional incandescent lights. New incandescent bulbs will be of the halogen variety rather than the argon-filled bulbs we all grew up with. 
Pros:

• Halogen bulbs are somewhat more efficient than traditional incandescents
• The bulbs are less expensive than CFLs and LEDs
• Halogens operate just like traditional incandescents, turn on instantly, and will work perfectly well with older dimmer switches (see below for more information)

Cons:

• Halogen bulbs consume much more energy than CFLs and LEDs
• They generate a considerable amount of heat
• They don't last much longer than traditional incandescents

2 - CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp): 
a fluorescent light bulb that has been compressed into the size of a standard-issue incandescent light bulb.
Pros:

• CFLs consume much less energy than incandescents
• A compact fluorescent lamp can have up to ten times the lifespan of a traditional incandescent
• The bulbs themselves are significantly cheaper than LEDs, and save much more energy than halogens, making them perhaps the most economical option for large-scale home lighting replacement

Cons:

• CFLs can have a slow startup time, can take several minutes to reach full brightness, and have been known to emit unpleasant noise and/or odors
• Not all compact fluorescents are dimmable, and even the ones that are don't work well with all dimmers.
• CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, and cannot be simply thrown away at the end of their life cycle

• may not work under negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit or over 120 degrees Fahrenheit
  

3 - LED (Light Emitting Diode)
Pros:

• LEDs consume much less energy than incandescents and halogens
• An LED bulb can have as much as 25 times the lifespan of a traditional incandescent
• Given their longevity, a much smaller percentage of an LED bulb's energy consumption comes from manufacturing, making their overall environmental impact considerably less than CFLs
• Unlike CFLs, the bulbs don't contain mercury and can thus be thrown away at the end of their lifespan

Cons:

• The upfront cost of purchasing an LED bulb is significantly more than CFLs and halogens, making large-scale replacement cost-prohibitive for many consumers
• Even dimmable LEDs don't work well with legacy dimmer switches (see below for more information)
• Many LED bulbs give off a very directional light, making them less suitable for lighting an entire room, and the light itself is often much cooler (also described as harsher) than CFLs, halogens and especially traditional incandescents

Whether you live in Minneapolis, Saint Paul or any city in the Twin Cities surrounding area if you are looking to save on energy costs and change lights or fixtures... Call Skyline Electric for help and the service you can trust.