I have replaced all the incandescent lights in my house with CFLs light bulbs for over 4 years now. And in that time I see 2 problems with CFLs.
1. CFLs indeed last longer than incandescent lights, but NOT as long as what they were advertised on the packages. There were enough of these gone bad that I stated to keep them just to track their cost/benefits (yes, they are name-brand bulbs such as GE and Sylvania). I however keep these dead bulbs outside of my house because of the second problem with CFLs.
2. All CFLs contain mercury and should not be disposed with our regular garbage. When these CFLs bulbs dies, they seem to crack at the base of the glass tube...letting out the stuff that we call Hg vapors. This can't be good!
Does anyone know how if the mercury in these light bulbs is harmful, given that there are more of them inside our house?
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I have replaced all the incandescent lights in my house with CFLs light bulbs for over 4 years now. And in that time I see 2 problems with CFLs. 1. CFLs indeed last longer than incandescent lights, but NOT as long as what they were advertised on the packages. There were enough of these gone bad that I stated to keep them just to track their cost/benefits (yes, they are name-brand bulbs such as GE and Sylvania). I however keep these dead bulbs outside of my house because of the second problem with CFLs. 2. All CFLs contain mercury and should not be disposed with our regular garbage. When these CFLs bulbs dies, they seem to crack at the base of the glass tube...letting out the stuff that we call Hg vapors. This can't be good! Does anyone know how if the mercury in these light bulbs is harmful, given that there are more of them inside our house?