Question:
Robert, I was in one of the big box stores as you call them, and talking with a sales person about the Christmas lights. They’re all new LED style, none of the old type lights, so I was asking about getting the old style and he was telling me how much better the LED are both for energy saving and ease of install because you can string many more together than the old style. Is any of this factual, or is he just trying to make a sale? Are they the same in how they look? Thank you for your help. I read your article often and appreciate all of your good advice. Carla W.
Answer:
Carla, the new LED lights are definitely the way to go, for all of the reasons the salesperson stated to you. Depending on the size of your home and how elaborate your decorations are, you may need only one receptacle, possibly two. Of course, if you are one of the very elaborate decorators, you may have to get more creative but for the average holiday lights decorator one or two should do the job. The savings on energy is incomparable with the old-style lights, just like the light bulb differences in your home. It’s proven that LED lights in the home are a huge cost savings over time. With respect to the look of the lights, they are slightly different than the old style, but very close and in my opinion they look just as nice. Best of luck to you, and happy holidays.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
