As the holiday season seemingly starts earlier an earlier each year, so does the tradition of decorating businesses and homes with holiday lights. This beloved tradition, though beautiful, can also be costly in more ways than one. Manage holiday lights to reduce energy consumption costs.
In the month of December alone, the US uses more electricity than some countries do in a year due to holiday lights. This amount of energy consumption can waste money, energy and can create unsafe conditions. Three ways to manage holiday lights while reducing waste and increasing safety are outlined below.
How to Manage Holiday Lights
Keep this time-honored and beautiful tradition alive at your businesses in a safer and less-wasteful way by following these three suggestions: use LED lights instead of incandescent ones, turn off lights when not in use, and use holiday decorations that don’t consume energy.
1. Use LED lights instead of incandescent ones
Manage holiday lights easily with a switch from incandescent to LED lights. Let’s say that your business purchases a strand of 100 mini-lights.100 LED lights cost around $19.99 and have a lifespan of around 20,000 hours. Energy use is approximately 4.8 watts per month with an operating cost of $0.14 per month. This is the more cost-effective and energy efficient choice compared to incandescent lights, especially if you are purchasing more than a 100-light strand.
A strand of 100 incandescent lights costs around $2.69, but will end up costing your business more in the long-run because of their 2,000 hour lifespan. Monthly energy use of an 100-light strand is around 40 watts and costs $1,20 to operate. This is almost nine times more than an LED strand.
2. Turn off lights after operating hours
It is important to keep lights on throughout all hours of the day, especially if using incandescent ones. Incandescent lights are more likely to catch fire after a long period of time. While businesses may remember to turn off outdoor light displays, indoor Christmas trees are often overlooked and left lit up all night, creating a dangerous situation. Holiday decorations are responsible for $10 million in direct property damage annually and 1 in 5 Christmas tree fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Manage holiday lights safety by turning off lights after operating hours or placing them on a timer that will do this for you.
3. Consider using holiday decorations that don’t consume energy
While it is unlikely and unnecessary for business to eliminate them entirely, one way to manage holiday lights is to use less of them. When it comes time to decorate a Christmas tree, consider using less lights and more ornaments and ribbon. Decorate your business with Christmas wreaths or candles that don’t require electricity usage.
Interested in managing your businesses’ year round energy consumption?
If you are looking to manage your businesses’ year round energy consumption in order to waste less electricity and money, consider implementing the first two suggestions year round. Turn off lights after operating hours to save electricity and money. Implementing commercial LED lights can save your business up to 30% on utility bills. To get started on an LED light installation, click the button below for a free quote. Click here a free energy audit to highlight ways your business can improve its energy efficiency. If you would like to speak with a team member directly, call (866) 218-0380.
