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Seasonal Lighting
Tips
Lighting schemes should match the season, for reasons of cost,
safety and optimal design.
Everyone is familiar with stringing Christmas lights. Around
December, displays of multi-colored lights decorate houses both
inside and out, as well as many office buildings. But Christmas
is only one of the many occasions when people use lights for
decoration. And, decoration is only one of the purposes for
which lights are installed at different times of the year.
One thing to remember at Christmas time is that the extra
illumination doesn't just cost more, it can introduce hazards,
particularly in older homes. Many homes are only wired to
support about 1.8kW, newer ones may well handle up to 2.4kW.
When you add Christmas lights you can exceed the total. If you
continually trip a circuit breaker or burn out a fuse, do some
arithmetic to ensure you are under a safe level. Add up all the
wattages on a single circuit and stay at least 10% under the
total the ciruit is rated for.
People who live in northern climates where the winters get
bitter cold know that outdoor bulbs tend to go out quicker at
this time of the year. The physics behind the phenomenon is
complex, but the fact remains. That suggests you can save a
little money on bulbs by turning them off when the temperature
dips way down.
But security concerns or decorating desires may make that
impractical. One option is to replace incandescents with LED
bulbs. They're more expensive up front, but they last
practically forever. A LED bulb will usually burn for over
50,000 hours. At 4 hours/day that's over 34 years! Since they
consume between 1%-8% of the electricity of incandescents, the
cost savings can pay for the difference over time. That makes
them ideal for Christmas lights, which most people keep for
years and years.
Security issues can play out in a different way, too. Longer
summer daylight means shorter nights. Readjust the timer on
your outdoor flood lights and you can save bulb life and
electricity for 3-5 months out of the year, depending on where
you live. That can add up to a substantial savings in
electricity and bulb costs.
Longer daylight during late spring and summer also suggests
other ways of saving money. Consider some solar-powered outdoor
lights. They absorb energy during the day and store it for
later use. Most use LED bulbs that consume little electricity,
so they'll stay lit for 8-10 hours per night. If you have
thirty or forty around the house - on the lawn, at the corners
of the garage and elsewhere - that can add up to quite a
savings, too.
Both in winter and summer, indeed all year round, incandescents
are more prone to breakage. They're fragile. Consider replacing
them in those high-traffic areas where kids play. Even a
plastic bat can easily break a bulb, showering everyone with
glass shards. The exposed filament, if the light is on, can
explode like an old-fashioned flashbulb, introducing the risk
of fire.
Take into account the season when you consider your lighting
scheme. You'll save money and increase your home
safety.
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