How To Save Energy And Keep Your Home Safe From Holiday Light Decorations

BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Christmas lights and decorations are popular ways to usher in the holiday spirit.

Energy company Eversource has a list of energy saving and safety tips they say can help keep your family and home safe while keeping costs down.

How to conserve energy and save on electricity bills:

• Switch to LED light bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use up to 90% less energy and last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
• Use a timer to schedule when lights come on and turn off.
• Always turn off lights when you are not home.
• Use advanced power strips for holiday décor to eliminate standby energy loss, which may add as much as $12 per month to your energy bill.
• Turn off room lights when tree is lit up.

How to practice safe holiday decorating:

Holiday decorations are high risks for house fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2018 to 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 835 home structure fires per year that were started by holiday decorations, and an average of 155 home fires that were started by Christmas trees per year.  Additionally, nearly one in five Christmas tree fires were started by lamps or light bulbs.

Here are tips on how to prevent fires started by holiday decorations:

• Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat.
• Never raise ladders or extend objects into or nearby power lines.
• Keep outdoor connections off the ground to avoid contact with water.
• 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.
• Check labels to ensure lights are used properly.
• Don’t overload a circuit.

Find more holiday decorating and electrical safety tips, visit here and the U.S. Department of Energy website.

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