Solar Homes Save Energy & Money on Holiday Lighting

Many people with solar homes love being able to save energy — especially during the holidays.

Decorating is a beautiful way to celebrate the season, but holiday lights use a lot of electricity. Fortunately, solar homes can be both festive and frugal. We have put together a few practical tips for saving energy with your holiday lighting displays this year.

Switch to Energy-Efficient Holiday Lights

The idea of investing in new holiday lighting may not be all that appealing if you have loads of lights already. In the long run, however, you’re better off replacing them with LED light strands.

LEDs save energy because they use 70 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs. And LED lighting lasts for decades. So while the initial investment might seem a little high, the energy savings will be more than enough to offset the costs.

Put Your Holiday Lights on Timers

Putting energy-efficient holiday lights on timers brings even bigger savings to solar homeowners.

Using timers means you don’t have to remember to turn off the lights each night (or morning) — and who hasn’t forgotten that task once or twice? What’s more, when you put your holiday lighting on timers, you can choose exactly how long to keep the display illuminated. Instead of leaving the lights on from dusk to dawn, you can save energy by setting them to automatically shut off in the late evening or the middle of the night.

Use Fewer Holiday Lights

Everyone loves a Griswold-style holiday lighting display, but using more lights means using more electricity.

A smarter move for people with solar homes is to create displays using fewer lights. Sure, LEDs use less energy and timers can control their use, but the best way to keep your electricity bills in check may be to scale back on the holiday lighting.

Consider Using Flood Lights

If cutting down the size of your lighting display clashes with your sense of holiday spirit, think about using energy-efficient floodlights.

A few flood lights can shower solar-powered homes in holiday color, providing a festive look while using less energy. As a bonus, your decorating work can be done in a flash if you use floodlights. You can even purchase special flood lights that project colors and holiday-themed shapes onto your home.

Get Creative with Your Holiday Lighting Display

Not all holiday decorations require electricity, and the more plug-free décor you use, the more energy you’ll save.

Tinsel and mirrored ornaments reflect light, making spirits bright even at night. Placing reflective items among your lights can multiply the shiny effect. You can also save energy by swapping out some of the holiday lighting for cheerful ribbons, wreaths or garland.

This holiday season, as always, the professionals at Intermountain Wind & Solar are committed to helping homeowners save energy and realize their maximum possible solar savings.

If you live in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado or Nevada, the Intermountain Wind & Solar team can help you save money by making the switch to photovoltaic power. For more information on solar homes, or to give yourself the gift of solar energy this holiday season — call us today to request an estimate.