Discount Fluorescent Bulbs And You

Discount fluorescent bulbs are a necessity for most businesses and many homes these days. Fluorescent lighting tubes and their smaller siblings, compact fluorescent light bulbs, last longer and eat much less power than old-fashioned incandescent lights; for that reason, fluorescent lighting is everywhere these days. And with the versatile new compact fluorescent bulbs by companies like GE and Phillips, even fixtures and lamps made for incandescent bulbs can be taken over by fluorescent replacements.

How Fluorescent Lamps Work

Whether it's in a compact bedside lamp, a streetlight, or an office fixture, all fluorescent lights operate under the same principal: mercury vapor is stimulated to emit light. A fluorescent bulb, compact or slender, cylindrical or circular, consists of a sealed glass tube containing an exposed electrical circuit, a bit of mercury, and an inert gas like argon. The inside of the lighting tube is coated white with phosphor powder. When the light bulb is turned on, electrons flow through the gas, vaporizing some of the mercury. The mercury atoms become so excited that they emit ultraviolet light, which the phosphor coating turns into visible light.

Why Your Lamps and Lighting Fixtures Should Be Fluorescent

With their new compact, standard size designs, there's no reason your next replacement bulb shouldn't be a fluorescent one. Sure, the lighting's a little bluish, but it uses much less energy than incandescent bulbs; in fact, a fluorescent bulb will last up to six times longer than an incandescent before it's time to buy a replacement. Admittedly, they cost a little more, but in the end the savings are substantial. Just think of it this way: wouldn't you like to spend several times less on light bulbs? Thought so!

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