Decorating with holiday lights can quickly increase your energy usage, costing you a lot on your energy bill. Thankfully there are some easy ways you can save and keep your holiday cheer.
"I always liked putting up Christmas lights when I was a kid," said Bryan Adamson, who lives on San Diego's famous Christmas Card Lane. "Year after year, we've added thousands and thousands. Now it's about 50,000 lights."
It's the price to pay — with an energy bill to match — for living on such a festive street.
"Our bill would go up to between $400 and $800 for the months of November and December," Adamson said.
For context, a box of 300 incandescent light bulbs that NBC 7 looked at used about 122 watts. With energy costing around $0.39 per kWh, running those lights for 6 hours a day for 30 days could cost you more than $8.50. With each strand, that number jumps higher and higher.
Thankfully Adamson has a few tips from his years of decorating.
"Almost all the lights are LEDs," Adamson said. "I know the incandescent seems a lot cheaper at first. LEDs cost, like, twice as much, but they'll last you 10 times longer, and they'll cut down on the bill by about 90%, 85%."
San Diego Gas & Electric has a few tips as well, in addition to using LEDs:
- Get a timer: Make sure you're running your lights only when you want to. It can also help to make sure you're not wasting energy during the day
- Get reflective: Using tinsel, mirrors and reflective ornaments can amplify the lights you already have, making your home appear much more lit up
- Buy wisely: Make sure you know how much energy the lights you buy use, if they're for indoor or outdoor use, and how many you can string together
Adamson said he's been able to drastically cut his energy usage.
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"It's run off one outlet," Adamson said. "All of this is less than 15 amps. It's less than a hair dryer."
It's a way to focus on the memories instead of a looming energy bill.
"We've had people come to the house and propose in front of it," Adamson said. "Being able to share that experience with the neighborhood, the community, and have them come back and enjoy their time around Christmas, it's a great time."
