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Energy Saving Tips For Christmas Lighting

The cost of hydro is a hot topic in Ontario lately, but you don't have to be shocked by the amount of energy your outdoor Christmas lights use. The lighting experts at Christmas Decor Oakville want to share some helpful tips on how to be more energy efficient this year so you can enjoy your lights without worrying about the cost of running them.

Use LED Lights

After November 1st, weekdays between 7PM and 7AM, weekends and holidays are considered off-peak hours by the Ontario Energy Board, so you'll receive the cheapest electricity rates possible for the peak evening times for running your Christmas lighting display.

Calculate the amount of total wattage in your display and use that to determine how much the hydro will cost (before taxes and delivery charges and whatever else may apply). Remember, the energy for Christmas lights will be in addition to the normal amount of energy your household uses per month in the winter months.

Here's a bit of math - it's not super precise because the rate is affected by the number of amps available but it's a rough estimate. A 150 coloured LED outdoor light string (nothing fancy - big box store brand) could use as much as 60kw for five hours of use. Multiply that by the current hydro rate for off-peak usage (8.7cents) and it will cost you $4.80 (roughly) to run that one LED light string for one evening. Say you needed three strings to do your roofline, that's $14.40 per night.

To compare, you'll use the same amount of energy for a set of 25 outdoor incandescent Christmas lights (again - big box store brand) as the 150 LED light string. So to have the same number of lights on your home you would need 18 sets of 25 incandescent Christmas lights. That could cost you over $80 per night in hydro. That's a significant difference and will add up quickly.

We recommend our customers use LED lights not only because they're more energy efficient than incandescent lights and much cheaper to run. LEDs also come in a variety of colours and styles to offer more versatility and generally last longer.

Other Ways To Save Electricity

Timers

Consider using a timer to control when your Christmas lights turn on and off. This further lets you control how much energy your lights will use.

Extension Cords

Instead of adding light strings to your display for the side and back of your home or business, consider using an extension cord in places where it won't be visible. Go for maximum visual impact and less lights means less hydro usage.

Less is More

You don't have to compete with the guy bringing in tour buses to have an elegant and eye-catching Christmas light display. Our team offers four different levels of tree wrapping for instance depending on whether you have a deciduous or coniferous tree and depending on how many lights you want to use. Here's an example of the three different levels available for trunk and branch wrapping.

The holiday lighting design and installation experts at Christmas D�cor Oakville provide free design consultation, complete installation and takedown, quality products and hardware, and are fully trained. Let us take care of all your outdoor Christmas decorating needs. Request a free quote by calling 905.632.2445, email us at Oakville@Christmasdecor.ca or use our convenient contact page.

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