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Light Bulbs Can Offer Bright Ideas When It Comes To Saving Money

DENVER, Colo. (CBS4) – With more and more energy efficient light bulbs on the market, consumers can feel overwhelmed with all the choices. Learning the difference between bulbs is more important now than ever before.

The Home Depot claims to have the largest selection and best prices on energy saving light bulbs. Incandescent, fluorescent and LED are just a few types of bulbs available. With so many choices, shopping for a replacement light bulb can be confusing.

Understanding the terminology on light bulb packaging can help. Watts measure how much electricity is needed for a bulb and lumens measure the amount of light a bulb gives off.

Home Depot employee Lindsey Chapman said consumers need to pay attention to the lumens in light bulbs.

"So when you're shopping for light bulbs going forward, you want to look for lumens. Basically that's how bright your light is going to be," Chapman said.

Home Depot shopper Edie Fenton knows the difference between a watt and a lumen. She wants to be energy efficient but is frustrated with her options.

"You buy a bulb, you take it home, it's not bright enough or its weird or it's coated or hums," Fenton explained.

Shoppers like Edie Fenton want stores to make purchasing light bulbs easier. Employees at the Home Depot are now receiving extra training to guide consumers with their purchase.

Comparing different light bulbs, including incandescent, compact fluorescent and LED, can give customers information before they buy. All three bulbs had the same lumen measurement. The incandescent bulb used the most energy while the compact fluorescent and LED bulbs used less energy to produce the same brightness.

Energy saving light bulbs are more expensive than incandescent ones. A single Philips 17 Watt LED Light Bulb gives off 1,100 lumens, the equivalent of a 75 Watt incandescent bulb. The 17 Watt LED costs $39.97 at the Home Depot compared to $3.47 for a 6-pack of 75 Watt incandescent light bulbs. The LED bulb has a lifetime of 25,000 hours and each Incandescent bulb has a lifetime of 1,500 hours.

Shoppers have many things to consider when shopping for light bulbs. Luminosity, wattage, lifetime, and price all make up a consumer's decision. The more informed shoppers are about the types of bulbs available, the easier purchasing the right bulb can be.

Home Depot has a lighting guide that will give you the best light you're looking for.

homedepot.com/lighting facts

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