Submitted by Mitch Gross, Eversource.
BERLIN, Conn. (December 4, 2018) – As the holiday season gets into full swing, homes and neighborhoods are beginning to brighten with dazzling lighting displays. Eversource is reminding customers about effective ways to get into the holiday spirit while conserving energy, saving money and staying safe. 
“The holidays usher in the excitement of decorating, gift-giving and spending time with loved ones,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “Amid all the festivities, we don’t want our customers to miss out on energy savings that are better spent on their family than the energy bill.”
Customers can save money and protect the planet by replacing traditional incandescent lights with an energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, holiday decoration. Not only do LEDs use 80 percent less energy than conventional bulbs, they’re also brighter, eco-friendlier and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights. Also, be sure to check for rebates at the ENERGY STAR rebate finder.
No matter what type of decorations are being used, it’s important to use them safely. Eversource offers these holiday tips to help customers stay safe while being more energy efficient:
- Inspect all lighted decorations, particularly older ones, and discard any that have broken or cracked sockets; frayed or bare wires; or loose connections. Replace them with energy efficient varieties.
- When decorating outdoors, always look up and stay away from all power lines. Never raise ladders or extend objects anywhere near the lines.
- Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly around themselves, which can cause them to overheat.
- Be sure to plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI outlets and only use sets approved for outdoor use.
- Use advanced power strips where possible for all holiday lighting to eliminate standby energy loss.
- Set timers for lights to automatically turn on when it gets dark and off when you go to bed, running no more than eight hours.
For more holiday lighting and electrical safety tips, visit www.eversource.com.
