What energy saving do you get (if any) from using a CFL in a space that you have to heat anyhow?

You save using CFL's. Until Led bulbs become more prominent, though that will take a bit more time. But once they come heavily unto the market, Then eveyone will be able to swap over to those as their CFL's burn out. Remember that CFL's do contain minute amounts of mercury, so dispose of them properly. But i would highly suggest swapping to CFL's asap!!!

I thing you are mixing apples with oranges! Using a CFL bulb will save money, and will create less heat. The cost of a CFL is higher is because of the long term savings factor. Using other bulb can not save as much money as a CFL, and can not heat a place properly either. You wish to heat a place, find a heater, or a steam radiator! There is one health risk for using a CFL - Any one who has Lupus should try to be away from the CFL (UV). The UV light will make you sicker.

Staying under the FL is equivalent to exposing under the Sun.

You want to save the money, or health?! If you do not have Lupus. You are OK to use FL.

If you need to heat the space anyway, then why would you spend the extra money and energy to run an incandescent bulb? And even though they lose about 90% of their energy as heat, they are still not very effective heaters.

save money and energy with CFLs which will last about 10 times as long as an incandescent bulb.

Few places need heat all the time.

Electric heat is about as inefficient as it gets. You're better off lighting with CFLs and heating with something controlled by a thermostat and more efficient than a light bulb.

Bob is right. An incandescent bulb may be ~100% efficient as a heater, but my heat pump can be up to 300% efficient! Light bulbs tend to be in not so ideal places for providing heat, too, like ceilings and enclosed light fixtures.

here's a good guide to which CFL bulbs work best where.....

http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID...