Does anyone use CFL bulbs

[Anonymous]

Does anyone use CFL bulbs? I have never bought them before because of the hassle with cleanup due to the mercury in them. I also don't care for the harsh quality of light. But I know that 100 watt incandescents are being phased out this January so I am wondering about this.

What do you do with them when they are burned out? Do you take them to be recycled? They are not supposed to be thrown in the trash, this seems like a big hassle. And breaking them--sounds like an awful and involved cleanup process. I had a regular incandescent bulb burst out of nowhere last year and there was glass all over the floor. If that were a CFL there would have been a lot to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I use them all over the house. When they go out, I save them in the garage and every so often drop them off at Home Depot. HD and other retailers have drop boxes where you can just leave them and they take care of the proper disposal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I use them all over the house. When they go out, I save them in the garage and every so often drop them off at Home Depot. HD and other retailers have drop boxes where you can just leave them and they take care of the proper disposal.

Has one ever broken? Are you worried about the intensive clean-up process if one should break? I worry about the mercury especially b/c of pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

We had one break recently near our playroom and it was a PITA and stressful. Looking at alternatives now (LEDs?) to replace them. Maybe we should just stock up on incandescent bulbs Elaine-style...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had one break recently near our playroom and it was a PITA and stressful. Looking at alternatives now (LEDs?) to replace them. Maybe we should just stock up on incandescent bulbs Elaine-style...

Can you share about how it happened/what you did? This kind of thing really worries me.

[Anonymous]

I've been using them for 2-3 yrs and never had a problem. I like them and noticed a measurable difference in my electric bill. I didn't know they were so bad though!!! Had no idea about the clean up hassle. I haven't had one burn out yet so I haven't had to deal w/ garbage.

[Anonymous]

We use them in some places with care, but won't replace all of our lightbulbs with them - will move to LED or another option, instead. Will be expensive...
I thought this made for interesting reading:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp

[Anonymous]

I have been using them since 2005. I had one break in the last 6 years and that was when I first started using them. I wrapped it and trashed it. The ones that burned out I dropped at Ikea for recycling. I don't know if they do that anymore because it's been a while since one burned out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I use them all over the house. When they go out, I save them in the garage and every so often drop them off at Home Depot. HD and other retailers have drop boxes where you can just leave them and they take care of the proper disposal.

Has one ever broken? Are you worried about the intensive clean-up process if one should break? I worry about the mercury especially b/c of pregnancy.

Nope, not yet.

[Anonymous]

I don't like them due to the color they give off. We'll switch to LED's as soon as the prices come down.

[Anonymous]

Been using them pretty much as long as they've been available. Have never had one break. Not really concerned about it-the amount of mercury in them is faiy minimal.

One if the local grocery stores near us takes them for recycling. They hardly ever burn out though. And they are much better than they used to be in terms if the color if light and time they take to warm up. Love them and can't imagine going back to wasting all the money incandescent bulbs do.

[Anonymous]

We broke one - DC tipped over a lamp and the bulb smashed on the ground, and then DC tripped and cut his knee on a shard! I was stressed and called poison control, and was assured that the mercury is such a small quantity...a drop the size of the tip of a ball point pen. I gathered up the shards (thankfully there weren't tons...only one end of the bulb broke) and brought it to the dump. The poison control rep said the danger is if the mercury is exposed to heat and turns into a vapor, but again - not really harmful in such a small quantity. That being said, she reinforced the importance of cleaning up and disposing of properly. I was ready to call one of the local fire departments to come and do clean-up, but she said it wasn't necessary (when I was pregnant I broke a mercury thermometer and I believe the NIH fire department came with equipment to make sure there the spill wasn't hazardous).

[ThatSmileyFaceGuy]

The only thing I don't like about them so far is the ones I have in ceiling pots in the bedrooms on dimmer switches don't get as dim as the incandesents still in the room.

[Anonymous]

I use them all over my house. Even the bulbs for my recessed lights in the basement are CFL. They take a while to get bright but otherwise, they last forever.

I had one break in my son's room. I just cleaned it up as best I could and vacuumed what I couldn't pick up. I mean, when I was a kid I thought I was being helpful and sterilizing my Grandmother's thermometer and the hot water just melted the mercury and down the drain it went. Oops.

I've only had one go out and it was quite a while ago. At the time, I wasn't aware of specific recycling requirements. They really do last forever though.

[Anonymous]

Anybody's wife hate them? I just bought a bunch and she hates them. The slow light up, weird colors and shadows....

Is there really a savings? I don't have them in long in enough for a full month.

ughh it's going to suck swapping out the 80 bulbs.