Several environmentally and economically-conscious homeowners have fitted their lamps with energy efficient light bulbs but the devices could pose a potential hazard if they're not used correctly.

Homeowner Charmaine Miles quickly learned the dos and don'ts of using compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs after she smelled smoke on the second floor of her house.

"I left the room ten minutes and I could smell something burning. My husband and kids all came in and they were trying to figure out where the smell was coming from," she explained.

"We had to open the windows to get the smell out of the house. I was horrified. I went through every place in the upstairs and took out every bulb."

A CFL bulb was the cause of the disturbing smell.

Miles placed one in some track  lighting, which caused it to burn out.

The problem: the package she bought did not contain a warning or any instructions about how to properly use the bulb.

The devices are perfectly safe when used correctly. CFL bulbs shouldn't be placed in dimmers either.

"It's a potential hazard, yes. Could it be a fire? Nobody knows," Ted Olechna of the Electrical Safety Authority said.

"If it starts blinking on you, take it out. Don't wait for it to stop. If it fails and you see it failing, disconnect the power immediately."

While compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are generally very safe to use, there are a few things you should be aware of if you use them in your home or office.

CFL Bulbs Contain A Small Amount Of Mercury

The devices only contain about 5 milligrams of the metal, which is a very tiny amount compared to other common items including watch batteries (25 mg), home thermometers (500 mg), and dental amalgams (500 mg).

If one should break, sweep up the shards and powder, don't vacuum up the mess. Then wipe the area with a damp towel. Put the used towel and shards in a plastic bag.

Like paint and other hazardous household materials, CFLs need to be disposed of properly. Check with your local municipal waste management program.

Don't throw old CFL bulbs in the garbage.

Here are some of the advantages to using the energy-efficient devices:

The new fluorescent bulbs are designed to give the same amount of light but use a lot less energy to do it. Here's a brief chart of just how big the reductions can be:

Old bulb: 100 watts
New bulb equivalent: 29 watts

Old bulb: 60 watts
New bulb equivalent: 15 watts

Old bulb: 40 watts
New bulb equivalent: 10 watts

CFL Basics

How long do they last?

About eight times longer than the old bulbs.

How much will you save?

Replace a 100-watt bulb with a 25-watt CFL version and you'll wind up with a $30 electricity saving over the life of each bulb.

How much energy do you save?

CFLs use about 66% less than incandescent bulb

How much can you actually save?

For an online calculator that lets you see how much energy an old fashioned bulb burns in your home every day, click here.

• For more information on these bulbs and how to properly use them, click here.

To read Consumer Specialist Jee-Yun Lee's blog "Jee.licio.us", click here.