Light Up Holidays' Affordably, Safely, Alliance to Save Energy Urges Consumers Facing High Energy Bills

Without dimming the holiday spirit, the Alliance to Save Energy encourages consumers to take a few smart steps to "light up the holidays" affordably and safely.

Mailboxes this winter will be stuffed with unwelcome news for consumers. High heating oil and natural gas bills will arrive at the same time as bills for all those holiday presents and for holiday lighting.

Without dimming the holiday spirit, the Alliance to Save Energy encourages consumers to take a few smart steps to "light up the holidays" affordably and safely to protect their pocketbooks, their children, and the environment:

• Turn Christmas lights off during the day or when you are away. Timers are a simple way to do this and also are a safety measure since lights can cause fires if not used properly. For safety's sake: Always unplug your lights before going to bed or leaving home.
• Operating lights for no more than six evening hours a day keeps energy use and costs under control. If you leave your lights on 24 hours per day, you will spend four times the money and create four times the pollution. In California, where electric power supplies are tight, follow your utility company's advice to avoid contributing to possible blackouts.
• Don't go overly wild. Do you really need all of the reindeer, plus the sleigh, plus Santa, lit up on the garage roof?
• Protect little fingers: Make sure there's a bulb in each socket. If a bulb is burned out, leave it in until you have a replacement.
• New "icicle" lights have more lights per linear foot than regular light strands and use more energy — make your choices accordingly.

Here's how to come out ahead:

• For each compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb you substitute for an incandescent bulb in your home, you can afford to light a string of 100 mini-lights and still save energy, money, and the environment. During the next year, that CFL will save five times the energy of the light string.
• Don't overload your electric circuits. Check your fuse or circuit breaker panel to see how much your home can handle, and stay well within limits.
• Make sure your lights have a safety listing from Underwriters Laboratories (UL symbol), and use lights only as intended. Keep extension cords and light sets away from the tree stand, and keep your natural tree watered to prevent bulbs from igniting dry branches.
• To prevent electrical shock, never use electric decorations on artificial trees with metallic needles, leaves, or branches. Instead, place colored spotlights above or beside the tree-never attached to it. Make sure artificial trees are inflammable.
• For outdoor lights, use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) on each circuit that automatically shut off the current when a leak is detected. Cover outdoor plugs and connector joints with a water-resistant layer of plastic wrap and electrical tape.
• Take the lights down after the holidays! No need to light up the night until spring!