Strings of Christmas lights made from light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are fast gaining in popularity and availability. This is good news for the homeowner who wants to save energy and money while still lighting up the house for the holidays.
Benefits of LED Lights
When compared to conventional incandescent lighting, LED bulbs have numerous benefits.
- Energy efficiency: LED lights are up to 90 percent more efficient than incandescent lights.
- Long lasting: LED lights consist of solid-state construction, making them sturdier and more resistant to damage than conventional lights. According to the Department of Energy, the best white LEDs have been found to have a useful life of about 35,000 hours, or four years of continuous operation. Also, when one light goes out on a string, the others stay lit.
- Safety: The epoxy plastic that encapsulates the LED bulbs is cool to the touch.
Public and Commercial Groups Switch to LED Holiday Lights
From the towering silver fir that graces the lawn of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. to the holiday decorations in historic Old Colorado City, Colo., towns and cities have switched to LED lighting for their holiday celebrations. Although generally at least twice the price of conventional incandescent lights, the municipalities that have switched to LEDs claim they will save energy and face fewer replacement costs because of the LED lights’ durability.
Homeowners can reap the same benefits.
LED Christmas Lights Retailers
Be prepared for sticker shock when shopping for LED Christmas lights. Incandescent lights sell for about half as much but also will not last as long and use more energy.
In addition, certain colors of LED lights cost more than others. The semi-conductor materials to make each color vary in price and manufacturing costs differ as well.
HolidayLEDS
This online retailer has created an informative and user-friendly site that includes a wide selection of LED Christmas lights for commercial and residential applications. The company’s Multi-Color Strawberry LED Christmas Lights (pictured below) are a new take on old-fashioned big-bulb holiday lights, but these emit heat that sits just one degree above room temperature. The five-colored string of lights is 24-feet long, with a 50,000-hour bulb life and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications ($18.99 per string). Other colors with the strawberry shape include a brilliant topaz pink ($29.99 per string) and a warm citrine orange ($19.99 per string). Shipping is $1.99 on all orders.
Solar-Powered LED Christmas Lights at Target
Don’t add a dime to your electric bill this holiday season. Save even more energy by choosing LED outdoor Christmas lights powered by the sun. Target sells an 11.9-inch string of mini-white lights attached to a solar panel. Price: $14.99, available in stores and online.
EnvironmentalLights.com
For a comprehensive selection of LED Christmas lights and products for other LED lighting applications, visit this site. A sample product is their retail grade blue icicle lights. With a 7-foot lighted length, these lights are linkable and use only 4.8 watts per string. Price is based on quantity purchased and ranges from $18.03 to $27.39 per string. Minimum shipping is $9.95.
Judith Zwolak - Judy is a mother of two and a freelance writer living in South Dakota. Raised by notoriously frugal parents, she comes by her family ...
