New rules flip switch on household light bulbs

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -Blue-light emitting diodes or LEDs that helped UCSB faculty member Shuji Nakamura win the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014 are now a must have.

August first is the beginning of an incandescent light bulb ban with some U.S. Dept. of Energy exceptions.

Stores includes Ace Hardware in Santa Barbara are getting questions about the banning of incandescent bulbs.

The ban adopted last year is meant for common household lights, but not lighting that needs the warmth generated from the wire withing the old fashioned light bulbs.

Enrique Chavez of Santa Barbara said it is easy to tell the difference.

He said he likes the cool look of LEDs.

But these days, Ace Hardware's Assistant Manager Josh Ruiz in Santa Barbara said they sell make kind of LEDs including bulbs that have a warm glow.

Sales Associate Terry Ferwin agrees. He said California has been ahead of the curve when it comes to changing out bulbs for LEDs.

He said the store still sells incandescent bulbs for heat lamps and other lighting that needs the warmth created by the electrical current that passes through a tungsten filament.

Exceptions include refrigerator lights, bulbs used to grow plants and chandeliers.