Explanation of Fluorescent Lighting

Types

• Linear fluorescent lights work well for overhead lighting. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are designed to replace incandescent bulbs and are used in lamps and traditional light fixtures. CFLs come in a variety of sizes.

Advantages

• Fluorescent lights use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lights, which drastically reduces energy costs, and last six to 10 times longer. They also produce less heat. Fluorescent lights come in a variety of wattages and many have a color rendering index (CRI) comparable to incandescent lighting.

Drawbacks

• Fluorescent lights don't work in dimmer lights unless they have special dimmer ballasts. They also take 15 to 30 seconds to reach their full brightness. In addition, fluorescent lights contain trace amounts of mercury and can't be thrown away in the trash.