Long-Life (6 year) light bulbs for rentals

[Paula]

I was discussing these long-life light bulbs on another thread, saying that I'm trying to use long-life light bulbs everywhere I can think of in our rental cottages because they (1) eliminate/minimize need to change light bulbs (our maintenance man from our management company would have to change each bulb at a cost to us) and (2) save money in the long-term (they are very expensive but are supposed to save money in electric bills over time.

I went online this morning to get advice and recommendations about long-life light bulbs and found this site which is useful. One thing I learned is that it's not necessary wise to use these long life bulbs in recessed ceiling lights but it's unclear whether that means closed or open recessed lighting. It also made it clear that we shouldn't use these long-life bulbs in closed lighting, which is good to know. Does anyone have any advice, warnings, experiences with long-life bulbs to share? Safety, quality, and reliability are important.
Thanks.
http://members.misty.com/don/cfbest.html

 

[Mermaid]

Paula, in our condo we've used halogen lights, which supposedly last a good two years. We'll see how that pans out. The light is very pleasant; not harsh at all.

 

[Landlocked]

I tried those long life fluorescent bulbs and I swear they're not as bright as they say they are. Maybe it's just me.

 

[Paula]

Here's what I learned about those long-life bulbs so far (and I hope they are OK because I changed every light except the lamps with those lights!).

1. You're not supposed to put most kinds in those recessed ceiling lights, though some are OK.

2. Many kinds (including the ones we got) take a little time to warm up to the brightness they're supposed to be, so you probably wouldn't want it for a reading light or a bathroom light if you want bright lights around the mirror.

3. They often aren't as bright as advertised and some can give off a funny light.

4. Some may hum a bit and that could be annoying (we had one that did that and we returned it to the store -- the rest are fine).

5. Some brands are much better than others.

If you're going to use them, I recommend looking at the link above. I'll only buy the brands listed as recommended. I think I'm going to stick with them, at least for the ceiling lights and the background lighting, but I'm still interested in hearing other people's opinions because they can be quite an initial investment (e.g., $5-7.00 bulb).

Kurt, I put this thread here because it has to do with managing our rental properties, but feel free to put it in the lounge if you think it belongs there...