Make your home sparkle this holiday and save!
Tips for creating a safe and energy-efficient lights display
Creating a gorgeous and energy-efficient lights display is not only possible, it’s easy! We reached out to our PEC Energy Service Advisors for the most important things to keep in mind while decorating. Follow these tips to make your home dazzle safely and efficiently all season long.
Use LED lights. These lights are more energy-efficient and safer than traditional bulbs. They consume 70% less electricity than incandescent lights and last longer. You can even find LED spotlights to project beautiful winter on your home at a minimal cost.
Inflatable decorations will cost more. The popular blow-up Santas, reindeer, and other holiday characters use fan motors to work. PEC experts say those fans use a lot more electricity than a set of LED lights, which will cost more to run. If you’re looking to save, avoid indoor and outdoor decorations with these types of motors.
Set timers. It’s a good practice to turn off all your holiday lights before leaving your home or going to bed. Installing timers can make this process easy and prevent wasted energy. Set timers to turn on when it gets dark and to turn off before midnight for savings.
Check cords. Before plugging anything in, inspect extension cords, lights, and decorations. Be sure to check their rating as well — some extension cords are made for indoor use, while others are made for outdoor use. Discard any items with frayed or damaged cords.
Avoid overloading extension cords and outlets. Power strips and surge protectors can help prevent wasted energy. But remember, they only give you additional outlets, they do not increase the amount of energy an outlet can handle.