Incadescent Bulbs are Burnt OUT

What to Do??

Incandescent Bulbs are OUT!!!!

Perhaps you heard the news on January 1st, incandescent bulbs can no longer be manufactured.  Yes, they can be sold until they are finally all gone.

Yet, it is not time to run out and horde a few hundred 60 watt bulbs.    It is time to know your options, including the new LED bulbs.  While these bulbs might provide you a bit of sticker shock, the longer term benefit to the environment(YEAH) and to your budget(YEAH) are well worth it.

Do you know LED bulbs last years???  Have you ever had an incandescent bulb last a year?  It is this difference in life cycle that saves you money; it is the reduction in energy use that reduces demand on our electric network and thus the need to burn coal, oil or natural gas, saving you more money and helping reduce the demands on fossil fuels.  Even if you aren't big on lowering fossil fuel use, you got to like the double dip on savings.

So it is not the time to stick your head in the sand and hope the change won't impact you.

Obviously, LED are relatively new on the market.   The below article, courtesy of Al Clark, discusses LED light bulbs and the difference applications.   You will see even a link to Consumer Report examination and report on best LED light bulbs.

Time to get moving!!!

CONSUMER REPORTS PICKS BEST LED LIGHT BULBS FOR YOUR HOME

Which LED Light Bulbs Work Best? The incandescent bulb's days are numbered; by Jan. 1, 2014, most will have been phased out. You sure won't miss their influence on your utility bill since a typical 60-watt bulb costs more than three times as much per year to run as a similar LED bulb. But you might cringe when you see how much it costs to replace an incandescent with an LED. You can save money by looking for a utility rebate coupon before you head to the store. When shopping for LED bulbs, keep in mind: Lumens indicate brightness Kelvin number tells you what color light the bulb gives off. The Best LED Bulbs For Different Fixtures Don't assume the most expensive LED bulb is the best. Consumer Reports says these less expensive, LED options shined brightly compared to the competition: For lamps and ceiling fixtures: For 60-watt replacements, Wal-Mart's Great Value Soft White LED ($10) ? the least expensive of the new bulbs in Consumer Reports' preliminary tests ? gives off a warm yellow light similar to an incandescent bulb. They also liked Cree's 9.5-Watt (60W) Warm White ($13) and the Philips 11W 60W Soft White 424382 ($14). The fully-tested, top-rated Samsung 60-Watt Warm White LED ($30) provides a bright, warm yellow light. For light that's warm but brighter, and is meant to replace 75-watt bulbs, the EcoSmart 14-Watt (75W) Soft White 726558 ($35) is an alternate choice. For recessed and track lights: In preliminary tests, Wal-Mart's Great Value Soft White BR30 is bright and dimmable, and is the least expensive ($160. The fully-tested Feit Electric BR30 Dimmable LED ($18) replaces a 65-watt bulb and casts a warm yellow light. For outdoor lights: The MaxLite 20Watt PAR38 100W ($40) offers bright white light in Consumer Reports' preliminary tests and can be used with some electronic timers, photocells and motion sensors. The fully-tested TCP 17W PAR38 Flood LED ($40) claims to last about 46 years when used 3 hours a day. The full report on LED light bulbs, including additional recommendations, is in Consumer Reports' January 2014 issue.