PG&E safety, savings tips for holiday lights

By By Bay City News

Bay Area residents who are beginning to string holiday lights around their house should consider using new energy-efficient lights and always be mindful of safety, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
    PG&E suggests residents replace large traditional holiday lights with LED lights.
    A string of 300 LED lights uses only .043 watts of electricity compared to seven watts for a traditional string of large incandescent lights.
    The difference in cost of electricity is $64.73 for traditional versus 39 cents for LED lights, according to the company.
    PG&E encourages residents to be mindful of their own safety by making sure their lights are in good working condition and are kept at least ten feet away from overhead power lines.
    When stringing lights, PG&E warns residents to never use indoor lights outdoors and to use no more than three sets of lights on a single extension cord to prevent overheating.
    More information and safety tips are available at www.pge.com/safety.