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      • Efficient Kitchen Lighting
      • Harvest Workers Urged to Take Time to Reap Safe Harvest
      • The Benefits of Air Source Heat Pumps
      • Holiday Lighting Tips
      • Appeal of Electric Vehicles Gaining Momentum
      • Member Survey - 2018
      • Switch Things Up with Stylish, Efficient Lighting for Your Home
      • What's Hot? The Way You Get Most of Your Electricity
      • 2017 ORU Recipient: Melrose Project Give-A-Gift
      • Residential Battery Storage is the Energy Trend to Watch
      • Nominations Are Now Open in Districts 4, 5 and 9
      • Manager's Message December 2017
      • Manager's Message February 2018
      • Energy Efficiency for the Modern Family and its Many Devices
      • Fall Into Energy Savings
      • Look To Your Air Conditioner for Heat and Savings This Fall
      • Efficient Holiday Lighting
      • Energy Is: Efficiency - Rohe Dairy
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      • Electrify Your Holiday Gift List
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      • Efficiency is Electric

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  • LED
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  • Save Energy
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  • Efficient Lighting
  • Holiday Lighting
  • 2019
    • February
      • Efficiency is Electric
    • January
      • Anna Marie's Alliance Wins Local Touchstone Energy Community Award
  • 2018
    • December
      • Small Heaters Can Lead to Bigger Bills
      • Manager's Message December 2018
      • Electrify Your Holiday Gift List
      • Member Notice: City of Waite Park Franchise Fee
      • 2019 Director Nominations Open
    • November
      • Efficient Holiday Lighting
      • Manager's Message November 2018
      • Great River Energy's 2019 Outlook: Lower Rates, Cash Back
      • Energy Is: Efficiency - Rohe Dairy
      • Energy Is: Efficiency - Rohe Dairy
      • Look To Your Air Conditioner for Heat and Savings This Fall
    • October
      • Fall Into Energy Savings
      • Manager's Message October 2018
      • Tips to Stay Comfortable This Winter
      • GRE Delivers Transformer to New Substation
      • Stay Focused on Safety During Harvest
    • September
      • Gruenes Receives National Service Award
      • 2018 ORU Recipient: St. John's Community Park
    • June
      • Doege to Lead Stearns Electric Association as Next CEO
      • Road Trip; Recharged: An EV Expedition
      • Manager's Message June 2018
      • Member Appreciation 2018 - Pancake Feed
    • May
      • Manager's Message May 2018
      • 2018 ORU Recipient: St. Cloud Amateur Radio Club
    • April
      • What is the Fixed Charge on My Electric Bill?
      • Manager's Message April 2018
    • March
      • Manager's Message March 2018
      • 10 Tips for Spring Energy Savings
      • Environmentally Beneficial Electrification
      • The Value of Electricity Continues to Shine
    • February
      • Manager's Message February 2018
      • Residential Battery Storage is the Energy Trend to Watch
      • What's Hot? The Way You Get Most of Your Electricity
    • January
      • Member Survey - 2018
      • Manager's Message January 2018
      • Touchstone Energy Award 2018
      • How Smart Should You Get When Purchasing a New Thermostat?
      • How Can We Better Serve You in 2018?
  • 2017
    • December
      • Energy Efficiency for the Modern Family and its Many Devices
      • Switch Things Up with Stylish, Efficient Lighting for Your Home
      • Manager's Message December 2017
      • Nominations Are Now Open in Districts 4, 5 and 9
      • 2017 ORU Recipient: Melrose Project Give-A-Gift
      • Appeal of Electric Vehicles Gaining Momentum
      • Holiday Lighting Tips
    • September
      • The Benefits of Air Source Heat Pumps
      • Harvest Workers Urged to Take Time to Reap Safe Harvest
      • Efficient Kitchen Lighting
    • August
      • Local Democracy Legislation Member Forum To Be Held
      • Stearns Electric Line Worker Injured -Update
      • Stearns Electric Line Worker Injured on the Job
      • More Americans Driving Electric Vehicles
      • 4th Annual Member Appreciation Pancake Feed
    • June
      • INVESTING IN RELIABILITY BY ADDRESSING HAZARD TREES AND RIGHT-OF-WAY
      • Managers Message | Electric Cars and Summer Storms
    • February
      • Smartphone Energy Apps
      • EnergyWise Water Heating
      • Virtual Home-Energy Audits
      • Remodeling the Heart of Your Home
    • January
      • What Makes a Utility Great
  • 2016
    • December
      • Nominations Are Now Open In Districts 1, 7 and 8
      • The Consumer-Centric Utility
      • You’re in good company with co-ops
      • $3 Off LED Holiday Lights Promotion
      • Stearns Electric warns of Bill Payment Scam
    • November
      • $1 MILLION capital credit return
      • Companies That Care
      • Busting the Myths about “Smart Meters”
    • October
      • Energy Outlook
      • Energy Explorers | Energy Vampire Activity
      • 2016 ORU Recipient: Project ASTRIDE
      • Why We Celebrate Cooperatives
    • September
      • ENERGYWISE 2016 FALL PROMOTION
      • Operation Round Up Recipient: Kinship of Morrison County
    • August
      • What you need to know about SCADA
      • Women and Cooperatives
      • Manage your Energy Use with These Handy Apps
      • 2016 ORU Recipient: United Arts of Central MN
    • May
      • MAKE THE MOST OF CEILING FANS
      • Improve Comfort and Save Energy by Sealing Air Leaks
      • National Electrical Safety Month Addresses Common Home Electrical Hazards
    • April
      • TRIMMING FUTURE PROBLEMS
      • 2016 Election Results
      • Great River Energy: Meeting the Needs of a Changing Membership
    • March
      • How To Clean Refrigerator Coils
      • Join Fellow Co-op Members at the 2016 Annual Meeting
      • Why We Celebrate Cooperatives
      • DANGER! Outlet Overload
    • February
      • 2016 Director Candidates
      • Youth Tour Empowers Central MN Students with Skills to Last a Lifetime
      • Top Five Energy Users in your Home
      • Be Prepared For Winter Storms
    • January
      • Honor Quilts Recieves 2015 Touchstone Community Award
      • Seal Air Leaks with Caulk
      • Stearns Electric is Looking for the Next Generation of Leaders
  • 2015
    • December
      • Why Electric Co-ops Replace Utility Poles
      • LEDs for the Holidays
    • November
      • 2015 ORU RECIPIENT | POCKETS OF HOPE
    • October
      • #2015Co-op Month: Concern For Community
      • #2015Co-op Month: Cooperative Among Cooperatives
      • #2015Co-op Month: Education, Training, and Information
      • 2015 ORU RECIPIENT | THE SARTELL MILL ART PROJECT
      • #2015Co-op Month: Autonomy and Independence
      • #2015Co-op Month: Member's Economic Participation
      • #2015Co-op Month: Democratic Control
      • #2015Co-op Month: The Power of Membership
      • 2015 ORU RECIPIENT | BECKY’S TROOP CARE PACKAGE PROJECT
    • September
      • Community Solar: A Member Story
      • 2015 Legislative Summary
    • July
      • Electric Bill To Have New Look
    • June
      • Patrick Bleth Named New CEO
    • January
      • 4th Graders Send Letters
  • 2014
    • December
      • Director Nominations Now Open
    • October
      • Stearns Electric Launches SecurePay
      • Slam The Scams
    • August
      • 2014 Member Appreciation Pancake Feed Video Recap
    • June
      • Join Us For A Member Appreciation Event
      • STEARNS ELECTRIC SPONSORS MN TWINS PLAY BALL! MN YOUTH CLINICS
    • May
      • MyMeter To Be Replaced By SmartHub My Usage
    • February
      • SmartHub Launched
    • January
      • MREA Youth Tour

Efficient Holiday Lighting

November 25, 2018

 

It’s a shame that holiday lighting can lead to higher energy bills, but the good news is, there are strategies that can save you money without dampening your holiday spirit!

 

ledholidaylightsBLOG.jpg

 

One of the best ways to save energy is LED lights, which use about 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. The amount of money you can save depends on a lot of factors, including your electric rate and how many hours your holiday lights are turned on.

 

We’ve seen a number savings estimates in energy costs. One report said that replacing five strings of traditional incandescent outdoor lights with LED bulbs could lower your bill from about $14 to 22 cents. Another report said that replacing incandescent lights on a typical indoor tree with LED bulbs could lower your monthly cost from $15 to $2.

 

The reason incandescent bulbs are so inefficient is that at least 90 percent of their energy is converted into heat, not light. LEDs, by contrast, convert virtually all their energy to light. This means up to 20 strings of LED lights can be linked together, whereas incandescent sets are typically limited to between three and five strings in a chain.The efficiency of LED lights also makes them safer because they generate so much less heat.

 

Aside from their energy efficiency, LED lights can last longer—around 200,000 hours or more, which is about 25 times longer than incandescent lights. The bulb is more durable because it is made of an epoxy instead of glass.

 

But not all LEDs are created equal. An LED that is not designed properly can flicker, change color or draw power even when it’s turned off. To avoid these problems, purchase ENERGY STAR®-rated LEDs. To qualify for the ENERGY STAR rating, LED products must use 75 percent less energy than incandescent lighting and pass a number of additional tests. 

 

The drawback of switching over to LED lights is the upfront cost. Incandescent bulbs can be purchased for 19 to 50 cents each, while a replacement LED will likely cost $1 or more. But one estimate we ran across showed the estimated cost of buying and operating standard C-9 lights for 10 seasons is $122 for incandescent bulbs and $18 for LEDs. Plus, the LED lighting is more likely to last the full 10 seasons, meaning less trips to the store!

 

There are other ways to cut energy expenses. You can use decorative solar light sets, which store energy during the day and release light during the night. Timers are also a good idea because they can reduce energy use, especially if you don’t always remember to turn the lights off before bedtime.

 

Innovative decorating ideas can make your display more dynamic and interesting, which might help you get by with fewer lights. This could reduce energy costs and still keep your holidays bright:

 

  • Color-changing LED lights can cycle through the colors in sequence and can even be set to change colors in response to music.
  • A laser light projector sits on the ground or other flat surface and projects multi-colored patterns onto the wall of your house. Most include a timer function and may come with a remote control and additional features. They come in a range of prices from $20 up to $150 or more.
  • You can recreate the excitement of a laser light show (using LED lights) by installing a smart lighting system that creates pre-set or programmable light shows through your smart phone or other smart devices.
  • For maximum effect with the smallest amount of energy use, try distributing the lighting across a broader space. In the spaces between light, add reflective ornaments and decorations to increase the effect of the lights and add interest.

 

We hope these tips help raise your holiday spirits without giving you the budget blues in January!

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Melrose Office (Headquarters)

PO Box 40
900 Kraft Dr SE
Melrose, MN
56352-0040

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29643 Frontage Rd.
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