Continuing on with our bulb education theme, we wanted to explain what “Estimated Yearly Energy Use” means on a light bulb package. It is one of the measurements, required by the FTC, on all light lighting labels.
Estimated Yearly Energy Use on the lighting label is a dollar figure that is calculated based off of 3 hours of use per day. They use that along with an average cost of electricity per kilowatt hour to determine how much it will cost. The number listed on the outside of the box isn’t exactly correct, because electricity rates depend on where you live, and sometimes the light may be used for longer or shorter periods of time.
For most customers, it really just depends on how much they plan on using this light bulb. The “Life” of the bulb is a measurement, in years, that is also just based on a 3 hour a day usage. Don’t let the number on the box fool you, use the 3 hour a day rule as a base and if you plan on using it more or less than than that, plan accordingly.
Our Harold’s Lighting stores in Seattle and Bellevue have many bulb styles and sizes to choose from. Our expert lighting staff is ready to help you find the bulb that will work for your light fixture, Energy Cost and bulb Life needs.