There are two colors of fluorescent bulbs...Not sure of the name....one is white and the other is yellowish. I changed to the white ones and what a difference. Maybe you could look into this.

They aren't phasing out ALL incandescent bulbs, you know. Chandelier-style (small base) bulbs will still be available. As will three-way bulbs.

And, yes, I hate fluorescent bulbs as main light source. I'm praying the new LED's get good enough that I don't have to deal with cfls...

I hate flourescent, I've tried and tried to like them and I just don't.

I bought one of those super expensive LED bulbs, like $50, for a work light and honestly, don't love it either. Sigh.

What do you mean phasing them out???? I didn't know that ... I thought the others were just an alternative, didn't know we'd have to actually live with just them.

I will definitely hoard a bunch if this is true.

grandma of 3 and mjsee, thanks for the info! I will try the white flourescents.

beth, they will be phasing out manufacturing them by 2014- I guess there is a small amount of mercury in them. Although this seems kind of silly- you would have to break them open and lick them to get the mercury, wouldn't you?

I hope this isn't inaccurate!

Try the Daylight flourescent - it is a bright, white light - much better than the gloomy yellow.

They are hard to find - Lowes and HD have them. Stores like Walmart, Sams, Target, etc. don't.

Tuesday

Incandescent bulbs are not all being phased out. They can still be produced providing they meet more stringent energy use guidelines. From Wikipedia:

In December 2007, many of these state efforts became moot when the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires all general-purpose light bulbs that produce 310-2600 lumens of light[33] be 30% more energy efficient (similar to current halogen lamps) than then-current incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014.

Light bulbs outside of this range are exempt from the restrictions. Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, stage lighting, and plant lights.

thanks, tuesday, I am going to try the bright white.

and thanks for clearing that up, terriks. (Sorry for the misinformation).

Nancy make sure they say "Daylight". I made the mistake of getting one that was called something like "Bright Effects" but it is not the same as the "Daylight".

thanks tuesday- it's really nice of you to come back to make sure I get the right kind!

Here is a good article about light bulb color. Explains why/how fluorescent bulbs change color and what you might be able to do about it:

Here is a link that might be useful: Making Sense of Light Bulb Color

I've already begun my hoarding!

i have quite a few of the flourescents in the basement that look like they are indoor floods that go in recessed can lights and i don't like the light they cast at all...

but, in my laundry room and in the upstairs hallway and in the kids' bedrooms i put higher watt spirals (75 & 100 equivalent) in the recessed cans and i really do like the light in those rooms... the low wattage in the flourescent chandy bulbs might be the problem...

are you sure you can't swap out the bulbs?? i would recommend trying the 'flame' shaped halogen chandy bulbs they sell now---they are lower wattage(energy saving- 25=40 and 40=60 i think) than incandescent bulbs, but put out a much nicer light, imo...

I've already begun my hoarding!

Me too!

I have the indoor flood light type in my kitchen--I was just tired of forking out over $5.00 for a light bulb. These are smaller than what I've been using, and I'm not too crazy about them either. They turn on sorta weird (low light) and I cannot dim them. Not sure if I going to keep them or not.

"beth, they will be phasing out manufacturing them by 2014- I guess there is a small amount of mercury in them. Although this seems kind of silly- you would have to break them open and lick them to get the mercury, wouldn't you?

I hope this isn't inaccurate! "

Just to clarify... the CFLs have mercury NOT incandescents.

I loathe fluorescent lighting. Our builder told us about a client he had that refused to put fluorescent lights in ANY area of the house, including the garage and closets! She said she didn't want her home to "glow like a gas station" at night! And she's right....that's what it looks like! I only put fluorescent fixtures in closets that have no windows...and I even hate those. Luckily, I didn't put them in our master closet and my pantry. Yuck...I will also be a hoarder if they don't start making them look better.

We put cans in our garage. I need to go to Lowes again and buy more cases.

I don't mind fluorescents for some applications ... kitchen under cabinet, laundry room, and I love them on the side of the mirror in the bathroom. The other bathroom has incandescent vertical fixtures on either side of the mirror and the lighting isn't near as good as the fluorescents.

I'll admit to doing my share of hoarding incandescents for other fixtures/lamps. Hopefully LEDs will continue to improve.

I have fluorescent under cabinet lighting and can tell you there is a big difference in the cast between the different types of bulbs. The warm white gives a warmer, more golden cast to my backsplash whereas the bright white makes it more sterile and cold looking. Problem is when the lights are replaced DH doesn't always get the right ones and the the backsplash looks different. I personally prefer a warm white. While incandescent is not being phased out to my knowledge, some states (like CA) have certain laws regarding the amount of fluorescent lighting that is placed in a home and there are more and more incentives for lighting companies to make fluorescent fixtures. From a decor perspective this can limit our choices over time. When I did my kitchen remodel 5 years ago and subject to Title 24 standards to put in 50% fluorescent lighting I had to do fluorescent pendants and choices were few and expensive. Now I imagine there is much more choice, as I imagine the choices may become less for incandescent.

fluorescent lighting is bad for your health and horrible to look at. in addition, they contain toxic MERCURY. heaven forbid you should break one of those bad boys in your home; you'll need a HAZMAT spacesuit to clean up the mess. when the bulbs blow you're supposed to take them out for proper disposal in your area. how many people do you suppose will do this? the occurrence of dementia and alzheimer's is at an all time high -and continues to rise, largely due to toxic environment. i realize i may sound like a lunatic to some, but do some research and form your own opinion.
we have no fluorescent lighting in our new home at all. not even in closets. LED bulbs are available in warmer tones now (got mine at lowe's) and i use them in hard to reach places outdoors as well as indoors. they even come in candelabra bulbs which are quite nice. not at all cold; but they in fact are sort of pinkish and very pleasing to the eye. in my closets, i purchased traditional fluorescent fixtures along with LED TUBE lighting and am retrofitting the fluorescent fixtures to accept the LED tubes. the LED bulbs while expensive have an average of 20-30 years depending on the bulb and use. prices are falling and will become much more affordable as time goes on. don't buy into all this energy saving hype about fluorescents. LEDs last longer, throw off a much more attractive light AND bugs and flies are not attracted to them! take your poisonous fluorescents out of your home, bring them to home depot or lowe's (or town facility) for PROPER disposal, get yourself some LEDs and rest easy knowing you've done your part.

Kates, where did you get your medical degree?

Incandescent bulbs have a shelf life--hoarding them isn't really practical. (Unless my sources are lying to me...)

I will say this--I have fluorescent tubes as soffit type lighting (don't know a better way to describe it) in my LR/DR--circa 1966. I LOVE them. They work well as general lighting, and when the light bounces off the ceiling and back into the room it doesn't bother me as much. And they last a LONG time. (We've had this house since 1997--and I think I've replaced the bulbs once...)

You can see the box-thing that holds the fixtures in this picture:

And here is a picture in the evening--doesn't really convey how the light looks...but close enough:

SOMEDAY I would like to replace them with a continuous strand of something...not incandescent rope lights, but perhaps LED's or fiber optics? But that is WAY down the road. (I need a new kitchen and to re-do the baths first!)

natal: you don't need a medical degree just an ounce of common sense. and there's no need to be snippy, is there?

I went to Lowes last night to get some flourescent bulbs for my lamp and asked the sales clerk about the different colors of bulbs. Lowes has a set up near the bulbs that shows the different color of light the bulbs give off. Yellow to blue white. I was also not aware that if you have a lamp or fixture that says 60 watt maximum...you can use a 75 or 100 watt flourescent bulb because they give off only 20 watts.

aaaaaaah!

I have a kitchen fixture with 3 bulbs. Trying to be a green consumer, I have CFL bulbs in it.

One just blew out. I put a new CFL in and it's a totally different color than the remaining two! Two have a yellowish glow, the new one burns blueish-white.

Okay that looks really bad. I have no idea what brand the yellowish ones might be so I can't go to the store to get another.

It isn't a cost savings if I get rid of the 2 still working yellow ones to match the blueish one (whose package I still have so in theory I could buy more of the same).

So I unscrew the blueish one & put in a regular old light-bulb. Although they look physically different, the color now matches. That will work for tonight at least. I don't know what I'll do for the long term.

Maybe I should expect the other 2 to blow out shortly so I should go get more blueish ones and be prepared. In the meantime, I'll live with the mix of bulbs.

kateskouros - there is misinformation in your post about cleanup procedures when a fluorescent bulb breaks, so I understand Natal's frustration. Are you aware that the same claim of the need for a hazmat suit is made by some people regarding cleanup of broken LEDs?

I can't tell whether you are trying to link dementia and alzheimer's with the use of fluorescent bulbs or not, but I can't find any documented proof of it. I think the idea of common sense works both ways.

Here is a link that might be useful: LEDs

Kates, like Graywings said ... it works both ways. Where's your proof? You remind me of the aluminum alarmists in the 70s.

"There is no expiration date on the storage of an incandescent light bulb. As long as it is kept dry, it can be stored for many years and still work properly when screwed into a socket. Once the bulb is in use it does have an expected life span which varies according to the manufacturer and the bulb's wattage."

Here is a link that might be useful: What Is the Shelf Life for Incandescent Light Bulbs? : eHow.com

I don't really care for CFL's but the energy savings is too hard to pass up. In my kitchen I went through several manufacturers of CFL's and finally settled on Maxlite's. I like the 3000K color temperature since the whiter light is nice in the kitchen.

I did switch almost all my other lights to the Philips ambient LED's. Very pricey but instant on, good color rendition and are dimmable. Also they're just as energy efficient as CFL's and no heat. They're the ones that are yellow and gray.

I'm replacing many of my fixtures in my house and usually pass on those that are fluorescent only or use a base that is used for cfl's like GU24.

I tried using CFL's in my outside fixtures but in winter they take 5 minutes to warm up. When its really cold you can't even tell the light is on. That ticks me off. I need light now-not in five minutes.

With energy prices soaring I put up with a lot of it due to the cost savings. In 10 years I'll recoup the cost of these fancy new bulbs (hahaha)

do as you like. sorry to barge in.

cruzmisl,
Someone told me that it's better to just leave outdoor CFL bulbs on all the time, it helps them last longer. I guess the on & off is what is hard on the bulb & can shortened the life. And because of their low energy usage, the on all the time thing doesn't cost that much. And then the light is always ready, no warm up time.

Do I know this for a fact? No, but I'm trying it for 2 reasons. One is the bulbs I had were not lasting any where near 5 years like they claim so maybe the off & off thing has some merit. And two it's not as obvious we're out of town if the light is always on versus some nights they are on and then for a week or more they are not turned on.

If the CFLs lasted as long as they claim I shouldn't be replacing any of them and yet I have. In my kitchen light (see above), my porch lights, the one LR light.

Last time I did any research, and I use that word very loosely, LEDs still had a way to go to be practical. I guess it's time to start researching again. Oh joy, can't wait to start reading up on CFLs, LEDs, wattage, snore....

allison0704--Cool! I was misinformed. (I think I heard that stock-piling wouldn't work on a local radio show...)