Each year, many home fires are started by Christmas lights, so keep your holiday season merry with these safety tips for using LED (Light Emitting Diodes) and regular light strings.
LED’s can be found in many new appliances, including phones, TVs, laptops, and more, because it requires less energy to power them. However, they contain small parts that can pose a choking hazard if broken, so always supervise children around LED stringed lights.
LEDs also do not get hot enough to cause burns like incandescent bulbs, so there is no need to worry about protecting people or pets from touching them if they happen to break-a common occurrence with the traditional bulbs. This is especially good news for families with pets in their home who might try to chew on a string of lights.
Incandescent light strings have been used for many years, but they require careful handling because they can cause burns if they come in contact with skin or break and start a fire. They also get hot enough to catch things on fire, so they should be kept away from flammable objects such as wrapping paper and Christmas tree branches.
In recent years, incandescent lights have become the center of controversy regarding energy usage because most are not Energy-Star rated. They waste more electricity than newer LED technology does. A good practice would be to use LED stringed lights of incandescent this year and then the next.
Decorative LED stringed lights use less energy and burn brighter than incandescent bulbs, so they may be a good choice if you want to add more lights to your outdoor display this year, but remember that hanging them too close together can block too much light and lower their efficiency.
Many of these strings also come in timer and animation modes such as flashing or chasing, which add excitement to your home displays. There are many different types of LED and incandescent strings that will work well with your home’s decorating scheme, so just choose one that works best for you. When it comes time to take down your decorations, unplug them first-they should never be left unattended at any time.