December 2007

Trim the Tree with an LED

New holiday lighting more efficient, safer

A technology found in electronic devices for many years has made its way into holiday lighting.

LED lights are the smart choice for decorating this season. Every year, manufacturers are introducing brighter LED bulbs with more color options.

Currently available in strings ranging from 25 to 150 lights, LED colors now include white, yellow, red, green, blue and mixtures. Some strings even change from one color to another.

Why switch to LEDs?

First, they’re much safer than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. No matter how long LED light strings are left on, they stay cool to the touch. That does away with the worry of fire or burning exploring little hands.

Second, LEDs last much longer than typical holiday lighting. The epoxy lenses are almost indestructible. They take banging around during tree trimming much better than the filaments in incandescent bulbs.

Some manufacturers estimate a life of 50,000 hours–and that’s outside in the weather. Double that figure for indoor use. You’ll probably get tired of them long before they wear out.

Finally, LEDs cost much less to operate–six times less than the common mini bulb and 75 times less than a standard C7 incandescent bulb.

That translates to real savings. The Florida Solar Energy Center estimates almost $125 less over five years between LEDs and C7 bulbs.

Besides that, using less energy is a nice gift to give the environment.

More Information: energyideas.org

Remember Safety

• Buy lights with the UL label.
• Don’t overload electrical circuits.
• Buy weatherproof lighting for outside use.
• Using staples or winding light strings around nails can damage wires.
• Cut off lights when you leave home or sleep.

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