NEW YORK – Con Edison is encouraging customers who plan to decorate their homes or offices to use energy-efficient LED lights during the holiday season.
Using LED or light emitting diode lights, instead of traditional incandescent bulbs, saves on bills and helps the environment. LED lights use nearly 90 percent less electricity than older bulbs, which also means fewer carbon emissions in the atmosphere.
LED holiday lighting is one way customers can trim bills and contribute to energy savings that aid the environment. An array of energy-savings tips is available at www.coned.com/thepowerofgreen. Energy efficiency tips are also found on Con Edison’s Power of Green Facebook page at www.facebook.com/powerofgreen.
Con Edison is also helping customers make their home or business more energy efficient. A list of programs can be found at www.conEd.com/greenteam or by calling the “Green Team” at 1-877-870-6118.
Con Edison also encourages customers to make safety a top priority when installing their holiday lights and offers some tips.
• Make sure that holiday lights carry the seal of approval of a recognized safety-testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Use no more than three standard-sized sets of lights per extension cord. To avoid electric overloads, use extension cords sparingly.
• Outdoor displays require outdoor, exterior-rated extension cords, fixtures, and bulbs.
• Before reusing electrical devices kept in storage, inspect for worn or frayed areas and breaks or brittleness, particularly at the plugs and connections. Replace defective lights and cords. Throw out any frayed wires or extension cords.
• Do not place cords around or near metal pipes, appliances, or anything that is damp or metallic. Turn off electrical devices when making adjustments.