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In 2007 the United States began an initiative to end the manufacture and use of incandescent light bulbs. According to the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), by the end of 2014 all manufacturing of 100, 75, 60, and 40-watt tungsten filament light bulbs will come to a stop in an effort to convince consumers to adopt more energy efficient lighting solutions.

The existing supply of inefficient, incandescent light bulbs is expected to linger on store shelves for several more years. However, a recent survey by a large bulb manufacturer concluded that only about 3 out of 10 U.S. consumers plan to stock up on, and continue to use the outdated bulbs.

Here we are now in 2015, and despite some mild blowback over consumer choice concerns, the push to switch over to energy efficient light bulbs has pretty much been widely adopted. But, many of you may still have some questions about exactly how much difference these newfangled CFL, and LED lights actually make when used in your home.

Let’s take a look at 5 things you should consider when making the swap to advanced CFL, and LED light bulb technology.

1. Dwindling Supply- 100w, 75w, 60w and 40w incandescent bulbs are no longer being manufactured. So, unless you are planning to horde existing supplies, and stubbornly use the old bulbs until the end of days, it will only be a matter of time before the last of these high energy, high heat bulbs disappear forever.
2. Price Tags Are Decreasing – In 2012 the average LED light bulb could as much as $40, CFL’s were cheaper, but buyers were still unsure about the benefits and savings. Today, CFL’s compete in a comparable price range to incandescents, and LED’s can be purchased for slightly more.
3. Energy Savings – To offset the slight increase in cost one only need look at the energy savings to see that switching to more energy efficient light bulbs is the wise choice. CFL bulbs use a staggering 70% less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs. LED’s are even more efficient using around 80% less energy.
4. Longevity - Imagine putting a single, high efficiency, energy saving LED light in your child’s desk lamp. Now imagine not having to change it until he, or she leaves college and moves back in! (just kidding!) CFL and LED light bulbs outlast old incandescents by thousands of hours. This also goes a long way in offsetting additional cost.
5. Incandescent Lighting is Not Dead – One thing that should be mentioned is that new advances have been made to increase the energy rating of incandescent bulbs by using halogen to increase filament life. Also, 3-way, and high wattage incandescent bulbs (like 200w bulbs used in garages) are currently exempt from EISA regulations. A close eye is being kept on sales, however, and should they exceed a set limit, will lose their emption status.

Hopefully, this information will help you to “see the light”, and upgrade to energy efficient light bulbs in your home, if you haven’t already.