Hi, I’m Frank fisherman
and I’ll be your guide as
you get ready to Catch
Savings In Preston!
Preston Public Utilities
is providing every
household they serve
with up to 50 CFLs, a
$140 value, to replace
your incandescent bulbs.
Simply fill out the
Lighting Inventory Form
that was included in
your tackle box and
mail or return it to
Preston Public Utilities.
Critical Dates
Did you know...
Switching to an ENERGY
STAR® clothes washer can
save you $340 in operating
costs over its lifetime
compared to a regular
washing machine?
31
Did you know...
ENERGY STAR® TVs use
about 30% less energy
than standard TVs – saving
electricity, money, and the
environment?
Well Hello,
The catch has
finally arrived!
After months of anticipation, the CFLs have finally arrived in
Preston. And now that you have opened your box it’s time to
get busy because like I say, “The sooner you install them,
the faster you can start catching savings!”
Since CFLs use only one-quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs, it makes sense to
replace them before your old bulbs burn out. What a better way to help celebrate Earth
Day than to install your CFLs and begin saving money and protecting the environment!
We’ve made replacing your energy-guzzling bulbs as easy as possible by delivering all
the necessary materials right to your door. Along with this letter is a replacement guide
that indicates the proper CFL you should use to replace each incandescent bulb you
identified on your lighting inventory form. Also included are installation tips with CFL
pictures and model numbers listed on the back to help you match the model numbers
shown on your replacement guide.
While Preston Public Utilities made every effort to accommodate all your lighting needs,
some incandescent to CFL conversions were not possible. Bulbs that were not able to
be converted are listed as “N/A” on your replacement guide.
As an added bonus for participating customers, Preston Public Utilities will be holding a
drawing following the delivery of the CFLs. On May 4th, five customers will randomly be
chosen from the completed inventory forms. We’ll visit those homes and take a quick
tally to confirm that all of their CFLs have been installed. Each of those customers
that have installed their CFLs will receive credit for an average month’s electric bill.
Participation in this drawing and inspection is, of course, completely voluntary but an
inspection is required to win the prize.
Thank you for saving energy, helping us keep electricity costs down, and making our
community a little greener!
A SMMPA Member Utility
Well Hello,
This Earth Day, what a better way to
celebrate than by doing something to help the
environment! With just the twist of a bulb, you
can save money and protect the environment.
Enclosed are two compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) from
Preston Public Utilities. The color and performance of CFLs
has recently improved so we wanted to give you these
samples to try in your home.
The 13-watt spiral CFL provides the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent
bulb yet it uses only a quarter of the electricity and it lasts up to ten times longer.
That’s not only good for your pocketbook but it also helps protect our natural resources.
The 20-watt “A-line” CFL is an enclosed energy-saving bulb that provides the same
amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent bulb. This CFL can be used in fixtures where
the bulb may be visible if you don’t like the look of spiral CFLs. It’s also good for lamps
with clip-on shades.
Install these CFLs in lamps or fixtures that you use most frequently to get the most
savings. These CFLs should not be used in fixtures controlled by a dimmer or lamps
that have a 3-way switch to control the brightness. Special CFLs can be purchased for
those applications.
We hope you try your sample CFLs today. Remember to get a rebate from Preston
Public Utilities when you purchase additional CFLs for your home.
Thank you for saving energy, helping us keep electricity costs down, and making our
community a little greener!
A SMMPA Member Utility
C Safe and Efficient:
F
L
what you need to know about mercury and CFLs
Replacing old incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) is one of the easiest
and most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy costs. CFLs can last 10 times longer than
incandescent bulbs and use only 25% of the electricity - saving you up to $30 in energy costs
over the life of the bulb.
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.
F
A
C
T
S
What is mercury?
Mercury is a naturally occurring metal which has several forms. The metallic mercury is a shiny,
silver-white, odorless liquid. If heated or allowed to evaporate, it is a colorless, odorless gas.
When liquid mercury is spilled, it forms droplets that emit vapors into the air. However, when
mercury emissions deposit into lakes and oceans, they can transform into a highly toxic form
that builds up in fish.
What household items contain mercury?
CFLs contain about five milligrams of mercury sealed inside every glass tube. That is one
hundred times less mercury than is found in a single dental amalgam filling or traditional glass
thermometer. These are some common items that contain mercury:
• Thermometers, thermostats, barometers and electrical switches
• “Silver” dental fillings
• Some light bulbs: CFLs, fluorescent tubes, high-intensity, mercury vapor, high-pressure
sodium and metal halide
• Clock pendulums
• Athletic shoes, toys and cards that light up or make noise
Disposing of burned-out CFLs
Mercury doesn’t make CFLs unsafe but it does place them alongside
many other household items that need to be used and disposed of in
a responsible manner, such as paint and batteries. Up to 95 percent of
the mercury contained in CFLs can be recovered when the bulbs are
recycled properly. Here are a couple of locations in your area where
used CFLs can be recycled:
Preston Public Utilities’ customers can dispose of used
CFLs at the Fillmore County Resource Recovery Center
(507-765-4704) for a small fee. Select Menards and Home
Depot locations accept used CFLs free of charge.
SaveEnergyInPreston.com
7 Watt Spiral
7W-S-CFL-27KTP
11 Watt Spiral
11W-S-MCFL-27KTP
13 Watt Spiral
13W-S-MCFL-27KTP
20 Watt Spiral
20W-S-CFL-27KTP
23 Watt Spiral
23W-S-CFL-27KTP
32 Watt Spiral
32W-S-CFL-27KTP
42 Watt Spiral
42W-S-CFL-27KTP
13/20/25W 3-Way
13/20/25W-27KTP
15/26/40W 3-Way
40W/ODSP/3Way
9 Watt Globe
9W-G25-27KTP
14 Watt Globe
14W-G25-27KTP
23 Watt Globe
23W-G40-27KTP
5 Watt Candelabra
5W-CAN26-27KTP
14 Watt Candelabra
14W-CAN26-27KTP
9 Watt Candelabra-Mini Base
9W-CAN12-27KTP
5 Watt A-Shaped
5W-A16-27KTP
9 Watt A-Shaped
9W-A16-27KTP
14 Watt A-Shaped
14W-A19-27KTP
20 Watt A-Shaped
20W-A20-27KTP
14 Watt Reflector
14W-R20-27KTP
16 Watt Reflector
16W-R30-27KTP
23 Watt Reflector
23W-R40-27KTP
23 Watt Outdoor Flood
23W-PAR38-27KTP
Frank’s CFL Installation Tips
Use care when installing your new 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.
Install only 3-way CFLs into lamps with 3-way switches
Make sure you install only 3-way CFLs into lamps that have a 3-way
switch to control the brightness. Using standard CFLs in 3-way lamps
will significantly shorten their life.
Do not install standard CFLs into lamps or fixtures controlled with a dimmer
No dimming CFLs have been included in your replacement inventory. Standard CFLs should not be
installed in dimming circuits. Using standard CFLs in dimmable switches or fixtures will significantly
shorten their life.
Use harp adapters in lamps with large CFLs
Some 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.
Disposal of incandescent bulbs
You can simply throw away your energy-guzzling incandescent bulbs in the trash.
Installation assistance
If you need assistance installing your CFLs, a family member or neighbor will likely be willing to help.
Exchanging CFLs if they don’t fit
If you have a CFL that doesn’t fit or work properly, please contact Preston Public Utilities. They have a
limited number of extra CFLs available for replacement.
In the event of a broken CFL, follow these 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.
For more information
If you have any questions, please contact Preston Public Utilities at 765-2491.
A SMMPA Member Utility