Lighting

With screw-in bases, compact fluorescents fit many of the same sockets that usually hold ordinary, energy-wasting incandescents.

• Integral Lamps
  Integral lamps combine a ballast and lamp in a sealed assembly. A typical integral compact unit uses only 18 watts and replaces a 75-watt incandescent lamp.
• Modular Fixtures or Lamps
  Modular Fixtures allow the lamp to be unplugged from the longer-lived ballast at the end of the lamp's life. Ballast life is usually four times that of the lamp's life. There is also an array of attractive hard-wired fixtures on the market.
• Circline Fixtures
  Circlines are very similar to modulars in that the shorter-lived lamp can be replaced without changing the original ballast. One 32-watt hard-wired circline fixture can replace an incandescent fixture with two 60-watt incandescent lamps.

Fluorescent Facts
Buying fluorescents in volume offers even greater savings. Fluorescents can reduce your cooling costs, since they emit less heat. Screw-in fluorescents, which are somewhat larger than incandescents, can come in a variety of sizes and shapes, including globe, tube, and circular styles. Some fluorescents are heavier than traditional lamps because they require a ballast. Measure the fixture before buying compact fluorescent lamps. Keep in mind that fluorescents are larger and don't always fit traditional fixtures and are not recommended for some enclosed fixtures.