If you’ve not purchased holiday lights in several years, you are in for some surprises next time you head out shopping for new holiday lighting. Recent advances have produced a wave of new and innovative LED lighting that is far more energy efficient than holiday lighting your father or grandfather installed in years past. Many of the new LED holiday light strings are 7 to 8 times more efficient than traditional incandescent light strings. This translates to additional benefits aside from lowered electricity bills: more strings can be safely strung together end-to-end (which may mean a simplified layout of your light display) and there is a lowered fire hazard as the strings do not get as hot as many of the incandescent holiday light bulbs.
One down side to these new types of holiday lights is their higher up-front cost. But if you calculate in the lower operating costs, LED lights are likely to cost you less money in the long run. And as more LED holiday lights are being manufactured, prices have been dropping.
One criticism of LED lights has been the tendency of light from LED bulbs to appear harsh and “cold”. Manufacturers have responded to this issue and are now producing LED holiday lighting that appears “warmer”, like the incandescent lights they are intended to replace.
So this year, consider adding some ‘green’ lights to your holiday decor by choosing energy efficient LED holiday lights.
Here’s a list of pros and cons for LED Holiday lighting:
PROS
Lower energy use / operating cost
Lower heat output (Less fire hazard)
Longer life
More strings can be connected safely (Fewer outlets or extension cords needed)
CONS
Higher purchase cost than incandescent.
Color & “temperature” of light output difference as compared to incandescent
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