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Energy Efficient Holiday LED Lights – Save Energy and Money!

Nov 29, 2013

This holiday season, don’t let the only green decoration in your home be the Christmas tree (if you’re putting one up) – go green with your lights too! That doesn’t mean decking the halls with green-colored lights; what we’re talking about are energy efficient LEDs (light emitting diodes).

Whereas traditional incandescent bulbs create light by heating a filament, LEDs move electrons over a semiconductor material. This makes them more energy efficient and prevents heat build-up.

Prices for energy efficient LEDs have dropped significantly over the last couple of years. Where once an LED replacement for a 60-watt bulb cost upwards of $40, they are now available for under $10. And as for Christmas LEDs, they’re even cheaper.

Statistics show that increasing numbers of consumers are moving away from traditional lighting to LEDs. General Electric, a major manufacturer of holiday lighting, expects two out of every five strings of lights sold this year to be LEDs, while Costco isn’t even offering any incandescent options.

Advantages of energy efficient LED light:

  • LED lighting is solid state, therefore more resistant to shocks and vibrations.
  • LEDs are mercury-free, and so are good for the environment.
  • They last around 25 times longer than a normal household 60-watt bulb.
  • You get the same amount of light with less electricity used than traditional bulbs.
  • LEDs cost a fraction of what it takes to power a standard bulb and the light produced is a result of higher efficiency.

Considering that holiday lighting is only on for a few hours a day over the course of a couple of months at most, they might not seem to be the ideal candidate for energy efficient lighting. However, according to a U.S. Department of Energy study, during that short period of use, holiday lighting uses enough electricity to power 200,000 homes for up to a year.

Now that’s a lot of electricity – and money – that could be saved by switching to energy efficient LEDs!