Thanks for the info. I honestly have not looked into LEDs. Ill check it out.

I hated having CFL bulbs for no other reason that the idea that any time I had a bulb break I had to do a several step decontamination procedure just to clean up the bulk of the mercury and still have traces of it in the house. Anybody with two rambunctious teenaged boys know how easy it is to break bulbs.

(05-01-2015 03:31 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(05-01-2015 03:28 PM)blunderbuss Wrote:  20+ years that's crazy. In theory you wouldn't need to change out light bulbs but 2 or 3 times. I remember growing up when lightbulbs seemed to constantly be burning out at my parent's house.

Did you grow up in 2010-2015 with CFL bulbs?

No. Grew up in the 80 to early 90s. The eat cfl bulbs did suck though. The cfls we have now have lasted a long time, knock on wood.

(05-01-2015 05:49 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  I hated having CFL bulbs for no other reason that the idea that any time I had a bulb break I had to do a several step decontamination procedure just to clean up the bulk of the mercury and still have traces of it in the house. Anybody with two rambunctious teenaged boys know how easy it is to break bulbs.

I remember breaking thermometers as a child and going through hazmat procedures. And, by hazmat, I mean "how cool is it that we can push a puddle of mercury around on the counter with our toothbrush?"

Ok, not toothbrush, but I'm pretty sure that cleanup involved wet paper towels and bare hands. And we were kind of aware that the stuff was dangerous.

(05-03-2015 09:15 PM)I45owl Wrote:  

(05-01-2015 05:49 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  I hated having CFL bulbs for no other reason that the idea that any time I had a bulb break I had to do a several step decontamination procedure just to clean up the bulk of the mercury and still have traces of it in the house. Anybody with two rambunctious teenaged boys know how easy it is to break bulbs.

I remember breaking thermometers as a child and going through hazmat procedures. And, by hazmat, I mean "how cool is it that we can push a puddle of mercury around on the counter with our toothbrush?"

Ok, not toothbrush, but I'm pretty sure that cleanup involved wet paper towels and bare hands. And we were kind of aware that the stuff was dangerous.

IIRC, liquid mercury isn't nearly as dangerous to play with as commonly thought.

(05-03-2015 09:47 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  IIRC, liquid mercury isn't nearly as dangerous to play with as commonly thought.

I think you're correct. I also think the amount of mercury in CFLs isn't enough to harm anyone, but people are concerned about the aggregate impact in landfills. Coal plants are probably a much bigger risk to your kids, but these are just my impressions without having looked into it in detail.

I'm pretty certain it's inhaled mercury that's a real problem, and why they are all careful with the CFLs.

Separating Myth From Fact on CFL and LED Light Bulbs: Five Concerns Addressed – The Great Energy Challenge Blog

http://energyblog.nationalgeographic.com...addressed/ Wrote:2. CFL bulbs are dangerous because of their mercury content.

A number of readers were alarmed that CFL bulbs contained hazardous mercury, and were worried about being exposed to it if the bulbs broke. “I have six kids,” one commenter noted. “I can’t take the chance of having these hazards in my house!” But research indicates that while CFL bulbs do require more careful handling and disposal, the hazard may be blown out of proportion.  According to a 2008 article on the issue in the scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives, CFLs typically contain from three to five milligrams of mercury—about one hundredth of the mercury content of the older thermostats that may still be found in some homes.  Researchers have found that only a tiny fraction of that is actually released when bulbs break. For example, in a study published in 2011 in the journal Environmental Engineering Science, Jackson State University researchers Yadong Li and Li Jin reported that even if left unattended for 24 hours, a broken bulb will release from 0.04 to 0.7 milligrams of mercury.  The researchers found that it would take weeks for the amount of mercury vapor in the room to reach levels that would be hazardous to a child. That can be avoided by quickly following the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s simple procedure for safe cleanup.  Additionally, Horowitz suggests: “When your CFL stops working put it in a Ziploc bag and take it to Home Depot or Lowe’s, who will recycle it for you for free.”  Another way to look at the mercury content of CFLs: reducing electricity consumption by using more efficient lights might help reduce the amount of mercury emitted into the atmosphere by coal-burning power plants, the biggest single source of mercury pollution in the air. (See related story: “Pro-Environment Light Bulb Labeling Turns Off Conservative Buyers, Study Finds.”)

Cleaning Up a Broken CFL | Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) | US EPA

I have been replacing my light bulbs with LED.

Costco had the can lights 3 for $18. I replaced all my can lights.

I have replaced my exterior lights with LED.

My next big project will be to replace the light fixtures in the bathroom. The standard model that comes with the home has 10 bulbs and they need to be clear. I am not replacing 10 bulbs with 10 clear LED bulbs. That would be about $150 in bulbs ($15 each for the styling).

I had one LED bulb burn out.

Anyone seen any good deals on the skinny, chandelier-type LED bulbs? Those seem to be more expensive than full-size LEDs.

(05-04-2015 10:28 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  Anyone seen any good deals on the skinny, chandelier-type LED bulbs? Those seem to be more expensive than full-size LEDs.

I got my chandelier LED bulbs, which I use outside, for 3 bulbs for $18. I purchased the bulbs at Costco. $36 for 6? Seriously- this is still too much.