Points to Keep in Mind while Using CFL Bulbs in Your Bathroom

Each homeowner frequently explores options to enhance the look and feel of his bathroom. Some people retain the services of professionalhandymen to carry out minor plumbing repairs without causing any delay. Many homeowners even explore simple options to make keep their bathroom environment clean and comfortable.

While renovating your bathroom, you must concentrate on some simple factors to make the area more energy-efficient. For instance, you can replace the conventional bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) to save over 75% energy. The CFLs further last ten times longer than the standard incandescent bulbs. But you must keep certain points in mind, while placing CFLs in your bathroom.

Reduce Humidity: While placing CFLs, you need to identify certain elements that can shorten the lifespan of the light. The presence of a huge amount of humidity can have a negative impact on the CFLs. So you must consider some simple and inexpensive options to remove humidity from your bathroom. It is a good idea to run the bathroom exhaust fan during and after taking your shower to exhaust the humidity and extend the life of the CFLs.

Switching On and Off the CFL: The lifespan of a CFL is also impacted by the frequency of switching it on and off. When you turn the CFLs on and off frequently, it will not increase your energy usage. But the action will shorten the lifespan of the CFLs. Also, you have to replace the CFL at regular intervals by incurring additional expenses. However, you will be able to save more money by turning the CFL on constantly for at least 15 minutes.

Choosing the Right Lights: It is always important to choose bulbs based on the light fixtures installed in your bathroom. Normally, the standard CFLs will fit into most of the fittings. But you will need a special CFL design known as indoor reflectors for the lights recessed into a ceiling or wall. These designs are also effective in withstanding much higher temperatures. Also, you have to choose specially designed bulbs to suit the three-way and dimmable light switches. It is a good idea to gather information from several sources to choose the right CFLs for your bathroom.

Safety Measures: When you decide to place CFLs in the bathroom, it becomes essential to understand certain safety and precautionary measures. As CFLs are designed with a small amount of mercury, the element can cause harm to human bodies. So you must take adequate precautions while handling or cleaning up the broken bulbs. Also, you can read the recommendations of the manufacturer to understand the safest way to remove a broken fluorescent bulb from your bathroom.

If you have already retained the services of a carpentry handyman, he will help you in placing the CFLs. Also, you can use his advice to choose the best places to place the CFLs in order to save more energy.