Christmas Light Decorations Ideas

The holidays are a special time of year. While the inherent glow of the season is always welcome, the electric bill at the end of December is usually another matter. When it comes to Christmas light decoration ideas, the most important matters to consider are those of efficiency and performance. Here are a few tips on making the seasons bright while still maintaining efficiency.

1. LED is always the best choice

In terms of energy efficiency, LED is always going to outperform on this measure. Since LED uses lower energy consumption to create a higher output than comparative models, it makes sense to switch to this type of bulb. Choosing LED Christmas lights may seem a like a bigger initial cost, but it will save on your energy bill all month long over non-LED solutions.

2. Install timers

If you are running your Christmas lights without timers, you are basically throwing money away. Using timers can help you set them so they stay on for a specified time frame every night and turn off to avoid overrunning lights. Timers can be easily installed on light strands by way of devices you plug the light strands into before placing it in the socket. These devices can go a long way in making your Christmas lighting more efficient and less costly overall.

3. Check for rebates

When it comes to residential lighting, there are rebates you can cash in to return some of your initial investment costs. For example, any lighting solutions with an Energy Star qualification, including Christmas decorative lights, can offer rebates as an incentive for choosing a more environmentally sound option as a consumer. Before you choose your Christmas strands, check for rebates to add some extra savings.

4. Don’t overload circuits

While most residential circuity systems are capable of handling the added pressure of Christmas light usage, you need to pay attention to how your lighting reacts. It is entirely possible to install so many lights you pull more amps than the circuits can keep up with which will, in turn, result in blown fuses. If you are finding this is an issue every winter, consider investing in a backup generator to unload some of the burden from your existing circuitry.

5. Check ratings for outdoor/indoor use

While most Christmas lights can be used outdoors, you still need to check to make sure. If you are using a lighting solution intended for the indoors in the harshness of winter on your front lawn, you may end up with a less than efficient solution. For instance, the bulbs will continually burn out faster, electrical components may falter, and other signs of improper location placement may take place if you use an indoor solution outdoors where it wasn’t designed to operate.