Nov 19, 2009 4:58 pm US/Central
Are 'Green' Christmas Lights Worth The Investment?
Experts Say More Expensive LED Lights Last Longer, But Only Save 75 Cents A Year On Average
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Christmas lights with incandescent bulbs (left) cost less at the checkout counter than energy efficient bulbs (right), but LED lights last longer and use less energy, saving money in the long run.
CBS
You want to go green this Christmas, but are those new energy-saving LED lights really worth the price?
Here's the bottom line: energy-efficient LED lights will save 80 percent more energy, but you'll pay three times more for them. CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker has the story.
Susanne Nicksic was shopping for Christmas lights and knew exactly what she wanted.
"LED," said Nicksic, "because it will save me money in the long run."
Paul Smith was just as adamant about his choice for incandescent lights.
"I would choose these because they're cheaper, they're a lot cheaper," Smith said.
Price versus energy efficiency is what shoppers must decide when trying to choose light bulbs this season. Clerks at Home Depot said they favor the LED lights.
Branford Halls, Department manager at Home Depot, said that LED bulbs burn up to 25,000 hours, whereas incandescent bulbs work for up to 3,000 hours.
A box of 100 incandescent bulbs costs about $4, but to get 100 LED bulbs you have to buy two boxes of 50, for about $12.
Considering that the average household burns lights 210 hours a season, energy experts said you'll save 75 cents every season by using the LED lights.
Saving 75 cents a season it would take almost 10 years for you to recoup your money. That's too long for some shoppers.
"I'd rather pay less now and get my savings up front than to wait ten years," said shopper Lisa Jones.
But Nicksic was not swayed.
"The LED I used kept lasting season after season and they never go out," Nicksic said. "Not even once; that's real nice.
So if you buy LED lights this year you could break even by 2019.
Experts said that one more advantage of LED lights is that they're safer than incandescent light, because they don't get as hot and are less of a fire hazard.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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