Gardening Resources

Lighting up the Holidays with LED Lights

How Do LED Christmas Lights Work?
Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs are now considered "the greatest invention in lighting since Edison's light bulb in 1879." LEDs are constructed from tiny solid-state chips similar to those used in computers. These chips directly convert electricity to light without the use of a filament or glass bulb. (Standard incandescent bulbs create light by transmitting electricity through a resistant filament which creates heat. A bi-product of the heat created is light.) LED lights encapsulate solid-state chips in solid (and nearly indestructible) epoxy plastic that can be made into a variety of shapes and sizes.

What are the benefits of LED holiday lights?
LED holiday and decorative string lighting have become increasingly popular because of the many benefits they offer such as increased safety, cost savings, energy efficiency, and ease of use.

Save the Earth
LED string lighting uses approximately 90% less energy than standard incandescent string lights. An average sized Christmas tree illuminated with incandescent string lighting for a 30 day period will consumer approximately 75kW of energy. The same tree illuminated with LED string lighting for the same period will use only 7.5kW of energy. This is an energy savings of 68.5 kW of electricity per year for a single Christmas tree. The energy savings even more significant for the many homes who decorate extensively with string lighting.

In addition to the energy savings offered by LED string lighting, the product is also a more earth-friendly because of its long life-cycle. HolidayLEDs LED string lighting will last for 50,000 hours or more. This means that the average household will need to replace and dispose of their Christmas lighting much less often, decreasing waste.

Save Your Family
LED string lighting produces very little heat and remains cool to the touch even after hours of operation. As a result, LED lights are much safer to operate in close proximity to combustible materials such as Christmas trees. This is because LED technology directly creates light simply the movement of electricity through the circuit. Very little heat is produced.

In contrast, an incandescent lamp creates light by moving electricity through a conductive material which creates electrical resistance. The resistance of the conductive material creates heat which in turn produces light. Simply put, an incandescent lamp produces heat and light is merely a by-product of the process.

From 2000 to 2004 the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported that Christmas trees, both natural and artificial, were the first item ignited in 300 of the reported home fires. These fires cause 14 civilian deaths, 21 injuries, and $16.5 million in property damage. These figures are especially significant when one considers that the average Christmas tree is only illuminated for a maximum period of 30 days each year.

In addition, the NFPA reported that holiday decorative lighting directly caused an additional 170 home structure fires in the same period with various materials being the primary source of ignition. These fires caused an additional 19 civilian injuries and $5.5 million in property damage.

The use of LED holiday decorative lighting can greatly reduce the risk of accidental home fires during the holiday season. We have attached a copy of the NFPA report if you would like further information.

Save Your Money
Based on the recent national average cost of electricity, it will cost the average household $9.00 for a 30 day holiday season to illuminate a single Christmas tree with 5 strings of 25 lamp incandescent string lights. In contrast the cost to illuminate the same Christmas tree for the same period of time with LED string lighting would be $.90. This may not seem like a lot of money but the average household typically illuminates more than just a Christmas tree. Many homes will use in excess of 50 strings of lighting during the holiday season. This would increase the cost savings to nearly $90 per season.

Perhaps more importantly is the cost of the lights themselves. Because LED string lighting will last nearly 10 times longer than standard incandescent string lighting, this means the consumer will have to replace Christmas lights much less frequently. At an average cost of $5.99 per 25 lamp string of incandescent string lighting, this would mean that the average household would spend approximately $300 for lighting to last that same period that would cost only $100 if LED string lighting were used.

And for you holiday lighting fanatics out there (you know the ones whose homes single-handedly cause regional blackouts) the costs savings cannot be ignored.

Save Your Sanity The holiday season should be a time of joy, relaxation, and family gathering. Unfortunately, the tradition of illuminating Christmas trees, homes, and landscaping during the holiday season can be a stressful undertaking. This is because traditional incandescent string lighting is susceptible to failure for any number of reasons.

Unlike incandescent lighting, LED string lighting is very durable and rarely fails. This is because LED lighting is constructed of solid state components which are not easily damaged by external shock. In fact, LED string lamps are encased in a nearly indestructible epoxy shell which has proven to withstand the weight of a tractor-trailer. Incandescent bulbs can be damaged or broken if simply dropped on the ground.

In addition to the near indestructible lamp, HolidayLEDs LED string lights are connected with a firm and durable tangle-resistant wire which will relieve you of the miserable chore of untangling the Christmas lights you retrieved from the attic.