A new federal ruling that went into effect this week essentially bans the sale incandescent light bulbs.
The Department of Energy passed a rule in April 2022, that light bulbs must emit at least 45 lumens, or measure of brightness per watt.
Most traditional bulbs emit 15 watts.
Andy Amrhein of Evey True Value in Bethel Park says the ban is being taken seriously.
He says retail outlets had until August 2023 to sell off any remaining incandescent bulbs and anyone caught selling them now faces federal fines.
Amrhein adds if everyone used LED lights it would put a lot less stress on the power grid and could lead to less blackouts.
Several specialty incandescent bulbs are exempt. They include black lights, bug lamps, refrigerator and oven lights, plant lights, flood lights, traffic signals and more.
The ban is an effort to save consumers money and conserve energy.
The Department of Energy says $3 billion could be saved on utility bills over the next 30 years.
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