WILMINGTON — There is something magical about the holidays, from Santa’s visit to decorating a Christmas Tree, but there is also a cost to getting in the holiday spirit. This is why Duke Energy is offering a chance for customers to figure out just how much their holiday light shows are costing them – and encouraging the use of LED holiday lights.
According to Duke Energy, LED lights use more than 75 percent less energy than typical incandescent bulbs, they generate less heat and offer reduced risk of fire and burns. They also last up to 10 years longer than standard bulbs.
If the lifespan and the amount of energy consumed are not enough to get residents to consider the switch, Duke is offering an interactive Holiday Lighting Calculator to help customers see just how much money could be saved by switching to LEDs.
For example, someone using 10, 100-bulb strands of 2-inch incandescent holiday lights for 6 hours per day would spend about $4.20 on a daily basis, or $126 for a full month of running the lights.
In contrast, running the same size and amount of C9-LED lights would cost only $0.60 per day, that is $18 for a full month, that is $108 in savings in one month.
While Christmas is just around the corner and for many, it is too late to worry about switching to LEDs, switching to LEDs throughout the home can have a dramatic increase of savings according to the Department of Energy.
