Inflatable yard decorations can also inflate your power bill
As folks deck the halls – and their yards – this month, Tampa Electric would like to offer a few handy tips for a safer, more energy-efficient holiday season.
Inflatable yard decorations can also inflate your power bill: To keep Frosty and Santa blown up for 24 hours a day, each inflatable item can add between $4.32 and $17.28 to your bill each month. To reduce the impact on your bill, TECO recommends running the inflatables for a few hours each evening and unplugging them for most of the day, or use a timer.
For holiday lights, TECO recommends investing in energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights. LED lights have dropped in price in recent years and are now available in many colors and styles. LEDs produce very little heat, so they reduce the risk of a fire and are safer than incandescent lights. They are also more durable.
And, since they use less energy, LEDs will save you money. Tampa Electric’s team of energy experts ran side-by-side evaluations of 600 LED and non-LED mini lights—enough for a 6-foot tree. To light the tree for six hours a day for a month, the non-LED mini lights cost about $5.18, while the LED mini lights cost just 93 cents. Customers can see how much they would save by converting to LEDs by using our holiday light calculator.
We also offer these additional tips for your home during the holidays:
- Make sure your holiday lights and cords are in good condition (no broken lights or frayed cords).
- Never string holiday lights on or near power lines. When using a ladder, take extra time to set it up properly on stable ground. Look above your head before climbing the ladder to ensure you are not near power lines.
- Never place electric cords under a rug or door, or around a sharp edge or corner. Keep all cords away from high-traffic areas in your home.
- Never use indoor lights outside, and don’t overload electrical outlets.
- Be sure to turn off holiday lights before going to bed or leaving home – or use a timer, so it can do the work for you.
- Make sure a reliable testing laboratory, like the Underwriter's Laboratory, has inspected your holiday lights and timers.
- If you have a natural Christmas tree, make sure it has enough water to keep branches from drying out, which can pose a fire hazard.
At Tampa Electric, safety is always a top priority. For additional safety tips, please visit us online at www.tampaelectric.com/safety .
Tampa Electric, one of Florida’s largest investor-owned electric utilities, serves more than 800,000 customers in West Central Florida. Tampa Electric is a subsidiary of Emera Inc., a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
