You know what is about to hit the fan

Today's debate is about incandescent lighting vs. fluorescent lighting. I prefer the former myself. I am all about the light being instantly on when I flip that switch. None of this 10 minute warm up period. I also hate the humming buzz that you get with the latter. I also believe that if I want to I can have whatever type of lighting I want in my own house. This IS a free country after all, right? At least the last time I checked it was, anyway.

Which leads me to today's discussion.

Let me first start with a little background. The only sweat equity that we are allowed to do, under much convincing and persuasion, is Jason wants to install some sound proofing insulation in between the first and second floors to muffle the sound of the surround sound that we have. We don't want the kids in their bedrooms upstairs to be thumping off their beds while we watch some awesome action thriller with the sound turned up. Now because we are putting insulation in between the floor joists we asked the contractor to be sure that they were going to have IC rated can lights installed so they didn't over heat and burn the house down. That's when I received this message via email... (All between our realtor, the third party, who's an innocent party in this.)

Contractor: "The can lighting will all be a fluorescent bulb type that will only allow a pin type bulb to be installed. And the need for the thermal breaker is eliminated because the cans don’t heat up like the older incandescent bulbs did."

To which my response was "Rewind... I have NO intention of using said crappy fluorescent type bulbs. I HATE THOSE! They take forever to turn on and I fully intend on using incandescent bulbs in all said can lights. He might want to reconsider the use of IC cans. Did that sound too bossy? Sorry. But really- we only use incandescent lights at the Nigbur's."

Then the realtor came back with some B.S. that was most likely fed to him by his higher ups. "I found some things out this morning, let me give you an update. Congress passed an Energy Bill that all incandescent light bulbs are to stop production and sales by 2012. This is why all Home Builders are moving to the Fluorescent Bulbs."

WHAT?? I'm no idiot. I follow politics, and the 'Cap and Trade' bill has certainly not passed any hurdles yet. Far from it. And the 'Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007' certainly does not ban them either.

So I ask my trusty good electrical engineer friend Tim about this and he sends me this link: No ban on incandescent light bulbs. Whew. I knew it.

I relay this info back onto my realtor who sheepishly is now trying to get them to install IC rated cans into OUR house that WE are paying for. I certainly was not told before signing any contracts that I would be forced to use fluorescent bulbs.

I understand that they are more energy efficient. I get that the power company is trying to get me to use less power. I get it. I am all about living green-er and I fully intend on using some of those lights in my house on the lights we hardly turn off. I.E. Brendan's room and the kitchen. And the bathroom. Oh- and the hallways. I am a fully dedicated recycler. We recycle more than we have trash. That's got to count for something, right? I mean, I even recycle my toilet paper rolls! I got an energy efficient washer/dryer. I AM GREEN BABY! But- I want my lights!! Give me light!

My realtor tells me he is working on it and that he is talking to people to try to get them to change the order. I mean- the regular cans WILL support florescent type bulbs... if I want to down the line. I go to look at the house today. Things are still hopping over there. Plumbing, heating, roofing done. They even delivered the brick today.

And they installed the pin based can lights.

I started to bawl. Full on busted into tears. Electricians, plumbers and roofers as witnesses. This is not a sad cry. This is an I AM PISSED cry. And I say to the electrician standing there "I am NOT happy."

So, I ask you- which type of lighting do you prefer? What is your reason for liking such lighting? Would you like it if someone told you what you HAD to have? Please tell me that I'm not crazy. Or wait- just tell me that at least I have a point. I know I'm crazy. They gave me the medicine for that years ago.

All I can say is that they had better get those changed before I do some butt kicking. And I'm going to start with the realtor. Even though he has nothing to do with it.