Essential info about our light bulbs

Dimmer switches

This site sells both dimmable and non-dimmable bulbs. Please be sure you buy dimmable bulbs if you want to use them with a dimmer switch.

Disposal

Compact flourescent bulbs (ie all the bulbs on this site except the LEDs and halogens) contain mercury, which can be bad for human health and the environment if not recycled or disposed of properly. So when your low-energy bulbs eventually die, don't put them in the rubbish. Recycle them wherever possible. You may find collection points at your local recycling point or municipal dump.

(Incidentally, most commentators agree that more mercury is put into the atmosphere by old-fashioned bulbs than eco bulbs, due to the coal burned in power stations to produce the extra electricity they consume.)

Heat

Low-energy light bulbs reduce heat loss by up to 90%. This makes them safer to handle and less likely to cause discolouring of fittings, walls and ceilings.

Your existing bulbs

It's much better, environmentally speaking, to replace your non-eco bulbs now – don't wait until they die. You may want to keep one or two for emergencies, but the rest are best disposed of. It may not seem very green to throw away something that's working, but they waste so much energy that it's much better to bin them than use them.

Colour

Colour Name Colour Temperature Description Warm white 2700K Similar to light from an incandescent bulb, distinctly yellow. Soft white 3500K Whiter than an incandescent bulb, but still somewhat yellow. Cool white 4100K A more neutral white often used in offices. Daylight 6400K A distinctly bluish white, close to the colour of natural light. Fittings Here are some details about the various light-bulb fittings mentioned on this site. Standard bayonet (BC / B22 / B22d) 22mm Standard screw (ES / E27 / E27d) 27mm Small screw (SES / E14 / E14d) 14mm Halogen GU5.3 (12v MR18) Halogen GU10 (240v)