Catch Savings in Preston MN

On April 20-22, over 11,600 CFLs will be delivered to Preston Residents

Saving more than 385,000 kWh annually

Enough electricity saved annually to serve nearly 50 Preston households.

Lifetime CO2 reduction of over 3,000 tons

Same environmental benefit as planting 1,200 acres of trees

Catch Savings in Preston, MN

Frequently Asked Questions
for Catch Savings in Preston

Why is Preston Public Utilities providing free compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to all of their residential customers?
Everyone is interested in saving energy and helping the environment. Replacing the energy-wasting incandescent bulbs in your house with energy-efficient CFLs is one of the easiest ways to do this. We want to make this even easier for our customers by giving them free CFLs as a part of this special event.

Saving energy also reduces the need to build new, costly power plants. This helps keep costs down for all of our customers.

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What is a CFL?
Compact fluorescent lamps replace standard incandescent bulbs but use only a quarter of the energy and can last up to 10 times longer. CFLs are essentially smaller versions of the fluorescent lamps that have been used to provide energy-efficient light for schools, offices, stores, and factories for years.

Why should I replace all my incandescent bulbs with CFLs?

  1. CFLs are free during this one-time giveaway event.
  2. CFLs can reduce your electric bills by about $110 annually and $1,000 over their life.
  3. CFLs last between 6,000 and 12,000 hours, or about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
  4. CFLs use a quarter of the electricity of incandescent bulbs.
  5. CFLs produce 90 percent less heat than incandescent bulbs.

If every home in Preston replaced all of their incandescent bulbs with CFLs, it would save enough electricity to power 100 Preston homes annually and provide the same environmental benefit as planting 340 acres of trees.

On a national level, if every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a CFL, it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars annually.

You along with your friends and neighbors in Preston can be an example for the rest of the country.

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Years ago I tried CFLs but they were bulky, took a long time to light and didn’t give much light. Have they improved?
Major strides in electronics and material improvements have made today’s CFLs far better than the CFLs of even a few years ago. Smaller and lighter to fit most applications, they light up immediately like an incandescent bulb, give much better quality of light, last longer and are more efficient. And they even cost less than older-style CFLs.

How do I get free CFLs to replace my incandescent bulbs?
Simply fill out the Lighting Inventory Form we sent you in the mail or that is available on this website and send it back to us by January 29, 2009. Tell us the wattage, style, and type of fixture where you currently use incandescent bulbs and we will use that information to determine the appropriate CFLs for your household and deliver them to you during the week of April 20-24, 2009.

Will CFLs fit into my existing fixtures, including recessed cans, outdoor lights and track lighting?
Yes, there are a wide variety of CFLs designed to replace regular incandescent bulbs in almost any fixture. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes including globes, floods, and candelabra.

Sometimes CFLs are too large to fit under the harp of lamp fixtures. Harp adapters or extenders can easily be installed on lamp fixtures to create more space for CFLs to fit properly. Harp adapters are available for free from Preston Public Utilities.

Specialty CFLs are available in shapes that resemble an incandescent bulb (A-line) to be used in fixtures with shades that clip on to the bulb.

CFLs can be used in enclosed outdoor fixtures but they should not be used in exposed outdoor fixtures because they can be damaged by rain and snow.

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Can I control CFLs with a dimmer?
Yes, but not all CFLs are designed for dimmers. Make sure you use one specifically for use with a dimmer. It is important to ensure that non-dimmable CFLs are not used in dimmable fixtures or on dimmable switches as this will significantly shorten the life of the CFL. Remember to clearly indicate on the form those fixtures that are dimmable so we can select an appropriate dimmable CFL replacement.

Do CFLs work with 3-way switches?
Yes, but only specially designed models can light to more than one level. Make sure you use one specifically designed for use with a 3-way switch.

Can someone help me install my free CFLs?
CFLs are as easy to install as your existing incandescent bulbs. But they can break if dropped or roughly handled. Be careful when removing the CFL from its packaging, installing it, and removing it. Always screw and unscrew the CFL by its base, and never forcefully twist the CFL into a light socket. If you need assistance installing your free CFLs, a family member or neighbor is likely willing to help.

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What do I do with my old incandescent bulbs?
You can simply throw away your energy-guzzling incandescent bulbs in the trash.

I heard CFLs will be required by 2012. Is that true?
It’s not entirely correct to say “CFLs will be required” or “incandescent bulbs will be phased out” by 2012. Standards set by the Federal Energy Bill require all light bulbs to use 30% less energy than today’s incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. A new design of incandescent bulbs could satisfy this requirement. There are also other lighting technologies, such as halogen and light emitting diode (LED) lights that will be able to meet the new requirements. Also, there are many common types of incandescent bulbs that are exempt from the bill including reflector bulbs, 3-way bulbs, candelabras, globes, bug lights, plant lights, and others.

What if a CFL burns out early? Is there a warranty?
The CFLs we are giving away are very high quality. Most of these CFLs come with a 9 year warranty. Please contact Preston Public Utilities if a CFL fails during the warranty period.

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What about CFLs and mercury?
CFLs contain a small amount of mercury which makes the bulb so energy-efficient. Despite the content of mercury in the bulb, CFLs are safe to use. No mercury is released when the bulbs are in use and they pose no danger when used properly. While the average CFL contains 5 milligrams of mercury - about enough to cover the tip of a ballpoint pen - the energy-saving and pollution-preventing potential of each bulb vastly outweighs the environmental costs. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury. Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, they must be properly disposed when they burn out.

What should I do with a CFL when it burns out?
Do not throw CFLs in your household garbage. Like paint, batteries, thermostats, and other hazardous household items, CFLs must be disposed of properly. CFLs can be disposed of for a small fee at the Fillmore County Resource Recovery Center (507-765-4704), or for free at select Menards and Home Depot locations.

How should I clean up a broken CFL?
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends the following clean-up guidelines:

  1. Open a window and leave the room for at least 15 minutes.
  2. Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner.
    a. Wear disposable rubber gloves.
    b. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard.
    c. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe.
    d. Use sticky tape such as duct tape to pick up small pieces and powder.
  3. Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it.
    a. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
  4. The first time you vacuum the area where the CFL was broken, remove the bag after cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in your trash.

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Why is Preston Public Utilities also giving away a clothes washer and television?
We want you to know that there are other ways to save energy besides installing CFLs. Another way to save energy is to purchase appliances and electronics that are ENERGY STAR® rated. The Energy Star® label identifies products that use less energy than other products, save you money on your electric bills, and help protect the environment. In fact, Preston Public Utilities offers rebates on a number of Energy Star® qualified appliances.

Information about these residential rebate programs is available at the SaveEnergyInPreston website.

I’m a business owner in Preston. Why can’t I get free CFLs too?
We chose to limit this giveaway to our residential customers to reduce energy usage for as many customers as we could on our limited budget. But we want to encourage all of our customers to use energy wisely. That is why we offer rebates for energy-efficient lighting, motors, cooling equipment, and other equipment designed for commercial and industrial facilities. Information about these rebate programs is available at the SaveEnergyInPreston website.

Can someone help me fill out my Lighting Inventory Form?
We’ve kept the form as simple as possible allowing you to simply go from room to room and list your existing incandescent light bulbs by type and wattage. If you need help completing your form, a family member or neighbor is likely willing to help. You can also contact Preston Public Utilities at 765-2491 for assistance.

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Catch Savings in Preston

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