It has only been as of late that a few negatives about compact fluorescents bulbs (CFLs) have been voiced. These are new issues that have come about as the popularity of CFLs has taken off in the past few years. While these concerns far from detract from the efficiency benefits of switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, it is still good knowledge to have on hand when changing out these bulbs inside the home and in outdoor light fixtures.

In certain applications, such as bathroom lighting, CFL use can be bothersome for some homeowners because of the fact that CFLs take longer to achieve full brightness than incandescent bulbs. Best advice: turn it on and if it is not quite bright enough, wait a couple minutes and it should achieve full brightness shortly.

Due to the mercury that is in the bulbs, the EPA recommends that the bulbs be taken to a recycling facility rather than sent to a landfill where they could be potentially hazardous to the environment. Finding a recycling center in the past was potentially difficult. Lately though, retailers such as Home Depot are offering a practical recycling solution by accepting spent bulbs at their stores. For homeowners living in a place where no CFL recycler is accessible, the EPA guidelines ask that the bulbs be double bagged in plastic before they are thrown out.

There is also a bit of information concerning what to do if a CFL breaks while being handled or changed. If a CFL breaks in the home the EPA recommends that the home be ventilated as much as possible by opening windows and doors. Furthermore, the EPA says that homeowners should leave the premises for 15 minutes before reentering and cleaning it up. It is not recommended to vacuum up the breakage, and if you do, dispose of the vacuum bag entirely. For breaks involving outdoor light fixtures, use gloves to remove as much of the breakage as possible, seal in a bag and dispose of properly.

Despite these concerns, CFLs continue to offer energy savings and long life to the consumers who choose to replace their existing bulbs.

This article was provided by LightingShowroom.com. Through LightingShowroom.com, everything from a contemporary vanity bathroom lighting to a traditional crystal chandelier can be found within our extensive selection. Our goal is to provide you with a great on-line shopping experience. Our commitment to you is to deliver an easy-to-shop site, an extensive selection of high quality lighting, best-in-class customer service and competitive pricing. Visit LightingShowroom.com today.