January 15th, 2008

Yes, There Are Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Posted by Jessica Jensen

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Here are Low Impact Living we talk to a lot of people in the process of greening their homes…and an evil rumor seems to have caught hold of the nation. It seems many people believe that compact fluorescent lights do not come in dimmable versions.  We do not know how this nasty rumor got started, but we are here to debunk it.  Yes, yes, there are dimmable compact fluorescent lights! We swear– we use them!  Please check them out here.  We have personally tested the dimmable Micro-Brite light shown at left and it works like a champ. We have several other sizes and option so be sure to browse.

(Just a quick refresher on why compact fluorescent bulbs are better than standard incandescent bulbs: CF bulbs use about ¼ the energy of normal incandescent light bulbs and CF bulbs can last up to 10 times as long as standard bulbs. CF bulbs also produce much less heat. They are a great eco-friendly choice.)

Further debunking: We have also learned that many people believe you cannot find compact fluorescent torpedo or candelabra bulbs (like the kind used in chandeliers and some wall sconces).  Again, yes, yes you can!  There are many kinds of torpedo bulbs– and they even come in dimmable varieties. To see standard torpedo versions, please click here. To see dimmable versions, please click here.

And finally, if you are not already aware of LED lighting, you should be.  LED (or light-emitting diode) lighting is even more energy efficient than compact fluorescent lighting.  LED lights will last 3-5 times as long as CF lights! There is not yet the huge range of bulb options available in the CF realm, but LED technology is progressing rapidly.  You can see several LED lighting options here.

Investigate eco-friendly lighting–don’t be left in the dark!