Increase sparkle, safety and savings with LED holiday lights

While decking the halls this holiday season residents can take advantage of new light-emitting diode (LED) lights for significant energy savings and increased safety. Holiday lights featuring LEDs can save 90 percent or more in lighting costs when compared to traditional incandescent holiday lights.

“LED lights generate little to no heat and are cool to the touch, which is especially good for homes with small children, says Michelle M. Mueller, vice president, customer services – mass markets for SDG&E. “In addition to decreasing potential fire hazards posed with traditional lights, LED holiday lights can pay for themselves almost immediately depending on their use.”

LED lights have been used for many decades in familiar items such as digital clocks, remote controls, traffic signals and more. Now LED holiday lights are available in an increasing variety of colors, shapes and sizes at major retail outlets and home improvement stores. LEDs are also more durable than traditional holiday lights and last much longer – offering more than 100,000 hours of use in some cases.

SDG&E has programs and services for residential and business customers to help save energy this holiday season and year-round, including lighting exchange events where customers can trade their old incandescent holiday lights for new LEDs. For details, visit http://www.sdge.com or call 1-800-411-SDGE (7343).

Holiday Lighting

Safety Tips from SDG&E

• Purchase only lights with the certification mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mark.

• Inspect all seasonal lights for frayed cords, loose connections and broken sockets before using.

• Replaced damaged electrical cords – do not attempt to repair them.

• Do not plug all your extra seasonal lights into one socket or circuit.

• Keep trees well watered and light cords dry.

• Do not let tree light bulbs touch needles and branches.

• Never use indoor lights outside.

• Attach outdoor lights with hooks – do not put staples, nails or tacks through cords.

• Plug all outdoor lighting into the ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets only. These outlets have small test and reset buttons.

• Tape all outside extension cord connections to seal out moisture.

• Turn off lights when leaving work or house or going to bed.