Submitted by Sarah Paduano, Eversource
(November 29, 2024) — With the holiday season upon us, neighborhoods are starting to twinkle with festive light displays inside and out. Eversource is reminding customers about some ways to get into the holiday spirit while conserving energy, saving money and staying safe.
“Festive decorations and flickering lights really help to usher in the excitement of the holiday season – celebrations, gift-giving and spending time with loved ones,” said Eversource Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Penni Conner. “Whether you prefer thousands of imported twinkle lights or traditional candles in the window to set a cheerful holiday mood, we don’t want our customers to miss out on energy savings that translates to financial savings that could be better spent on their family than on their utility bills.”
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 90% less energy than conventional bulbs and last 25 times longer, they’re also brighter, eco-friendlier and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights.
No matter what type of decorations are being used, it’s important to use them safely. Eversource also offers these holiday tips to help customers stay safe, as well as save money and energy:
- Inspect all lighted decorations, particularly older ones, and discard any with 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.
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- Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat.
- Use a programmable timer for lights to ensure they aren’t accidentally left on.
- Water and electricity do not mix so keep outdoor connections off the ground.
- Check labels to ensure lights are used properly – outside lights are labeled for outdoor use.
- All the parts of the lights need to be dampness and temperature-proof.
- Check extension cords for wear and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI outlets.
- Use advanced power strips for holiday décor to eliminate standby energy loss. This can be particularly helpful for inflatables like large snow globes, which may add as much as $12 per month to your energy bill.
- Turn off room lights when the tree is lit to save energy while creating a festive atmosphere.
Find more holiday decorating and electrical safety tips here.
