What Are Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs And How Do They Save Money?

How do Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs work?

Unlike incandescent bulbs which use a filament, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs give off light when a mixture of three phosphors are exposed to ultraviolet light from mercury atoms.

How much can I save if I use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs?

An average user can expect to save $36.00 per bulb when using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs over incandescent bulbs. CFLs do cost more upfront, however this cost is matched after using the CFL for 500 hours.

Do Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs have a longer life than incandescent bulbs?

Incandescent bulbs generally last 500 to 2,000 hours.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are guaranteed for 8,000 hours.

Are there environmental concerns when using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs?

There are trace amounts of mercury in Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. For the home user, this presents no problems. The problem can come from improper disposal. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs should be recycled properly. You can learn more about recycling from About.Com's [a href="http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/]Environmental Issues[/a] guide, Larry West.

Florida’s existing home sales remain slow in January 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. – Feb. 25, 2008 – The mortgage credit crunch and a sluggish economy continued to affect the sales pace of existing homes and condominiums in Florida in January. Statewide, sales of existing single-family homes totaled 6,737 last month while 9,360 homes sold in January 2007 for a decrease of 28 percent in the year-to-year comparison, according to the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR).

But some industry analysts expect sales activity to improve by the second half of the year, especially if the increased loan limit caps within the federal government’s economic stimulus package can be implemented quickly. In the latest market outlook from the National Association of Realtors®, Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says, “Existing-home sales have moved narrowly since last September, but when the full impact of higher loan limits for conventional mortgages begins to hit the market, there is likely to be a notable rise in home sales and prices. If higher limits are enacted very quickly, we’ll see a faster and more meaningful recovery by expanding safe, affordable financing in high-cost areas – that, in turn, would help to stimulate overall economic activity.�

Florida’s median sales price for existing single-family homes last month was $208,600; a year ago, it was $242,700 for a 14 percent decrease. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less. In January 2003, the statewide median sales price for single-family homes was $142,900, an increase of about 46 percent over the five-year-period, according to FAR records.

The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in December 2007 was $206,500, down 6.5 percent from a year earlier, according to NAR. In California, the statewide median resales price was $475,460 in December; in Massachusetts, it was $323,000; in Maryland, it was $291,622; and in New York, it was $222,646.

Sales of existing condominiums in Florida also decreased last month, with a total of 2,252 condos sold statewide compared to 3,227 in January 2007 for a 30 percent decline, according to FAR. The statewide median sales price for condos last month was $190,200, down 11 percent from January 2007’s condo median price of $213,900. NAR reported the national median existing condo price was $222,200 in December 2007.

Last month, interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.76 percent, down from the average rate of 6.22 percent in January 2007, according to Freddie Mac. FAR’s sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Among the state’s larger markets, the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) reported 1,235 existing homes sold last month compared to 1,627 homes sold a year ago for a 24 percent decrease. The market's median sales price for homes was $187,100; it was $220,100 in January 2007 for a 15 percent decrease. A total of 333 existing condos changed hands in the MSA last month, down 12 percent from the 378 condos sold the previous year. The existing condo median sales price in January was $159,500; a year ago, it was $183,600 for a 13 percent decrease.

“The greater Tampa Bay area has always been a desirable location in Florida,� says Alan Riley, FAR’s District 6 vice president and broker-owner of RE/MAX Affiliates in Seminole. “We’re blessed with a huge and beautiful coastline that offers waterfront in three directions, and we’re centrally located for access to all that the Sunshine State has to offer. In the Tampa Bay area, you can enjoy the amenities and excitement of city living or the peace and quiet of the countryside. And you’re only a half hour or 45 minutes at most from all the area’s major attractions, including sports and recreational activities.�

Among the state’s smaller markets, the Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie MSA reported a total of 200 homes sold in January compared to 252 homes a year ago for a 21 percent decrease. The existing home median sales price was $175,300; a year ago, it was $241,000 for a 27 percent decrease. A total of 44 existing condos sold in the MSA last month compared to 51 condos the previous January for a 14 percent decrease. The market’s existing condo median price was $200,000; a year ago, it was $225,000 for a decrease of 11 percent.

Scott Wingfield, president of the Realtors Association of St. Lucie and general manager of Coldwell Banker Thomas J. White Realty Inc., notes the area’s thriving business and employment opportunities continue to attract new residents. “The high tech and bio-medical research industries are helping to strengthen our area’s diversified economy, yet we retain the appeal of a friendly, small-town community,� he says. “The St. Lucie area couldn’t be in a better location: With the turnpike and I-95, it’s easy to travel to destinations all across Florida, and we’re in a prime spot for business commuting and development.�

© 2008 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Energy Saving Programs & Rebates from FPL

FPL.com

FPL currently offers the following incentives to residential customers:

• Air Conditioning – FPL may even help pay for a new, more efficient unit. details
• Insulation Guide – Through this program, FPL will pay you an incentive to reduce the cost of installing new insulation. details
• Duct System Test and Repair – For a nominal fee, FPL will inspect your home’s cooling and heating ducts for costly leaks and even help to have them repaired. details

How Is Your FPL Bill Impacted?

On Jan. 7, 2008, residential customers’ bills decreased by $0.94 per 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), to $102.49. In contrast, residential customers nationwide who use 1,000 kWh a month pay $108.79, according to the Edison Electric Institute, an industry trade association. Commercial and industrial customers’ bills saw similar decreases.

While FPL projects that natural gas prices will remain flat and residual oil fuel prices will increase moderately next year, a significant factor helping to drive down costs is increased fuel efficiency at FPL’s fossil fuel power plants. FPL’s fossil fuel power plant fleet is the top performer among large-scale utilities nationwide and has become 12 percent more efficient in the past five years. Efficiency at these facilities has grown by 17 percent since 1990.

There are three other things you should know about the fuel charge on your bill:

1. We buy only the fuel required to serve you and meet your electricity consumption needs – there has been a 30 percent increase in consumption per household since 1985.
2. We make no profit on the fuel charge portion of your bill. Fuel prices are a direct pass-through, so you’ll never pay a penny over what we pay to cover our fuel costs.
3. Fuel prices on the world market are volatile To keep our fuel expenses more stable, we maintain a diverse portfolio of generation sources – including nuclear and coal – and are able to switch fuels at some plants when prices of one type of fuel are lower.

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved this decrease to your electric bills on Nov.6, 2007. View online

Stay Clear of Pad-Mounted Transformers

FPL.com

Stay away from those green metal boxes you commonly see in neighborhoods and tell your kids to stay away, too.

Pad-mounted transformers contain equipment necessary to provide underground electrical service. FPL's pad-mounted transformers meet or exceed applicable codes and safety regulations to protect the public and our employees.

While they do not present an inherent electrical hazard under normal conditions of use and service, it's best to avoid unnecessary risks by staying away.

Also, if you have a transformer in your yard, please make sure there are no shrubs, trees or fences blocking access to it. This will allow FPL crews to safely and quickly maintain or repair the equipment as we work to provide you with the reliable service every day.

The best way to stay safe is to stay clear of our equipment. View complete newsletter from FPL

What's The Risk With Hiring An Individual Or Subcontractor Cleaning Company?

There's a tremendous difference in hiring house cleaning companies with employees vs. subcontractors, vendors or individuals. It's all about the protection you'll get when you open the door of your House Cleaning Home to a house cleaner, the quality of the cleaning job, the guarantee, and who is ultimately responsible for any liability or risk when the day is done.

Anybody can put out an ad offering housecleaning service. There is no way of knowing who or what you'll get when you call.

An individual who is hired under the table is a serious risk if they are hurt or disabled on your property. Since they are not covered under Labor and Industries, there is the real possibility that they may sue you for lost wages, damages, or for medical costs.

Technically, hiring an individual makes you an employer, which means you can be held liable for injury claims, worker's compensation insurance and unemployment insurance. It's important to review your home liability insurance to make sure it covers service people in case of injury, and notify your insurer of the relationship.

If you hire an individual and they do not pay employment taxes, YOU as the legal employer can be held liable for the taxes due to the IRS. Hiring a company that pays all employment taxes and carries Labor and Industries insurance coverage protects you.

Unfortunately, many 'cleaning companies', and I'd guess 100% of individuals for hire do NOT carry liability insurance. If your belongings are damaged, (and accidents do happen on occasion) you will have no easy compensation recourse.

Employee honesty bonding insurance is sadly lacking in our industry. A bond is insurance that protects the client and compensates them if an employee is guilty of theft. We've turned down 100's applications from house cleaners that have current house cleaning experience and a theft or other serious conviction on their record.

Mrs. Clean's employee's are trusted, background checked, pre-screened and bonded for your protection. If we would not trust a house cleaner in our home, we will not send them to yours.

Cleaning companies that hire subcontractors have risks. The individuals hired as a subcontractors are independent and can be considered a vendor of the company you hire. They have not been trained by the company, (the IRS has very stringent rules on this) and are not covered by Labor and Industries. view article online

Governor Charlie Crist Proclaims March 2008 as Florida Bicycle Month!

The purpose of this special month is to:

• Promote bicycle safety and education.
• Offer leisure and recreational bicycling opportunities for all ages and abilities.
• Offer competitive/challenging cycling opportunities.

view proclamation

The Most Important Maintenance for Any Dryer is a Clear Exhaust

Many dryer failures usually result from an improperly maintained vent system. This causes premature failure of the bearings, elements, ignitors and other critical parts.

Improper venting or a clogged vent will give the following results:

1. Long drying times
2. Clothes are hot at end of cycle – this is not good for Perma-Press items
3. Dryer is noisier than usual
4. Clothes still hot and damp after cycle ends
5. Automatic sensors fail to shut off

The FPL proposed wind energy project in St. Lucie County

• Will be the first wind project in Florida and the largest in the Southeast
• Six wind turbines on FPL property and three on state/District-owned land
• Will generate about 20 MW of clean, renewable wind energy for more than 8,000 residents
• Represents the addition of emissions free, clean energy for today and for future generations in the state of Florida
• Will occupy less than one percent of Blind Creek’s 412 Acres

FPL is committed to developing renewable energy by

• Plans underway for several solar projects throughout FPL’s service territory
• Exploring ocean current’s thermal energy through an alliance with Florida Atlantic University’s Center of Excellence In Ocean Energy Technology
• Sponsoring state institutions that fund research and development of alternative energy technologies, even though these technologies are not yet viable on a commercial scale
• Looking for additional wind and solar project sites