How to Swap Old Light Bulbs Out for Free

You can switch to compact fluorescent bulbs for free in some municipalities.

Incandescent light bulbs have been the main source of residential lighting for many decades. However, much of the electrical energy consumed by an incandescent bulb is wasted in the form of heat. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs have emerged in the last few years as a preferred alternative. Switching from incandescent to CFL involves no electrical modification to most appliances and light fixtures. Some jurisdictions have subsidized programs that exchange incandescent bulbs for CFL bulbs, free of charge. You can take advantage of those programs if they are available to you.

Instructions

1. Investigate what programs are available where you live. Call the customer service number of your electrical utility company to find out about possible free bulb swaps. Call your City Hall, as well. Cities such as Apache Junction, Arizona currently have such programs.

2. Collect the incandescent bulbs you want to exchange, and bring them to a designated drop-off location. The location depends on the program. Be aware that many programs place restrictions on the maximum number of bulbs per household that they will exchange for free.

3. Obtain the CFL replacements. In some programs, such as the one in Apache Junction, AZ you pick up the CFL bulbs in a designated hardware store, by presenting a voucher received when you dropped off the incandescent bulbs at City Hall.

References

• The City of Apache Junction: Light Bulb Replacement Program