888.630.9224In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold will do anything to have the most lit up, overly decorated house on the block. He spends hours outside in the cold checking each and every bulb to ensure a spectacular and festive home. Remember the part where his wife checks the outlet in the garage? All those wires plugged in to that one outlet can’t be too safe, not to mention the fact that his electric bill probably cost more than the pool he was planning to install in his backyard.
Whether you’re decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or your own holiday tradition, remember to follow these tips to keep your home and family safe, and your utility bill low.
When deciding on lights to decorate your home, there are mainly two choices (unless you’re going to start counting mini-bulbs): incandescent lights and LED lights. Research has shown that even though LED lights can be more costly upfront, at least $10-$15 more than incandescents, they are the best choice in the long run.
LED lights use less energy, which can mean savings of $1 to $11, depending on how many lights you are using and how often they are used. They are also more durable, even after 4,000 plus hours of use, however, incandescents generally lose their brilliance within 2,000 hours.
Other benefits to using LED’s include the fact that they are better for the environment, they don’t have glass covers or filaments that can break, and they run much cooler, reducing risk of fire. The only way that incandescents stack up is in brightness, normally five to six times brighter than the LED’s.
Safety rules to remember about lights:
According to Consumer Reports:
- Christmas trees are involved in about 300 fires each year that result in 14 deaths.
- Make sure the lights’ wire has a holographic “UL Listed” tag.
- Discard any strings with broken sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
- Plug no more than three strings of lights into an extension cord.
- Turn off holiday lights when you leave home or go to bed.
