CFL light bulbs are supposed to be saving energy and lasting longer – but only if you use them right...

Are you saving loads of energy and money with the new CFL light bulbs yet? 

Those things are expensive and if you don’t use them right, you’ll be WASTING both. Here are a few CFL dos and don’ts:

• Do let them warm up. If your CFL is dim or flickering when you turn it on, let it be. New bulbs take anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes to become fully lit.

• Don’t mix and match. You really need to check the packaging on CFLs. You need special bulbs for certain fixtures including dimmers, three-ways timers, motion detectors and outdoor lighting.

• Do leave them on. You’ll have to shake that habit of turning lights off every time you leave the room. CFLs sap MORE power than old fashioned light bulbs when you first turn them on. You’ll actually be wasting money and energy and burning them out faster if you turn them off and on a lot.