Christmas decorations are a popular holiday ritual. People go to great hard work to decorate their houses during Christmas. Leaving Christmas lights up all year or not is a debated consideration.
Leaving Christmas lights up all year can save time and effort in putting them up and taking them down annually. Some people also find the permanent holiday lighting comforting and festive year-round; leaving them up can help create a cozy atmosphere. If you keep them up, regularly check and maintain them to ensure they are safe and energy-efficient.
While on the other side, leaving Christmas lights all year might look tacky and ugly and down your home’s visual appeal. However, having them on all year can increase electricity costs and, if the lights are not properly maintained, might cause a fire threat. Choosing to leave them up all year is personal, but before making a choice, it’s crucial to consider the potential advantages and disadvantages.
Things To Consider Before Making A Choice
Source: stylist.co.uk
There are certain elements to consider before making your choice.
Safety
For several reasons, leaving them on all year can be risky. In addition to the threat of electricity from broken lines, putting extension cords over the home or up high on the rooftop could result in a substantial potential hazard. Also, the weight of the lights could lead them to come loose and fall if there are any weather effects, such as wind or rain. Because of this, you must buy appropriate safety covers and weather-resistant cables if you plan on keeping them up all year.
Maintenance Expenses
Over time, keeping them on all year will increase electricity costs. Despite using far less electricity than standard incandescent lights, LED lights still use energy, which adds up over time. As a result of potential weather-related damage, it can also need more extraordinary maintenance. Over time, if they break down, you’ll have to spend money constantly repairing them.
Pros: Having Christmas Lights Through All Year Round
It can be an excellent way to keep your home looking beautiful and welcoming all year to leave your holiday decorations, and Christmas lights up. However, there are a few benefits to having the sparkling little bulbs put up after the holidays. All Christmas lights are now customizable, so you can choose and select according to your decor, which gives your home a beautiful appeal.
One benefit is that it saves you from having to take down the decorations, store them for the year, and re-install them for each occasion. Also, if you carefully preserve your decorations, they’ll last longer and be in better condition.
Maintaining festive decor can also give your home’s young people long-lasting happiness and enthusiasm. Because of this, some families keep their Christmas decorations up on important days like birthdays or anniversaries as a festive reminder that there’s always something to look forward to, no matter the time of year.
LEDs are a perfect option for kids at home because they are not hot when you touch them. In markets, they are available in all shapes, styles, and patterns according to your decor.
Source: summerrainsprinklers.com
Cons Of Having Christmas Lights Up Throughout The Year
The downsides of keeping Christmas lights on all year long exist. The obvious factor of energy utilization comes first. If they are kept on for too long or excessively bright, they can consume a lot of electricity and cost you more utility bills.
In addition, there is the visual appeal issue. Having them up all year might make your property stand out, which could be better. Christmas lights are often bright and quite noticeable. If you reside in an area or apartment building where most residents take down their holiday decorations immediately after the season, keeping your lights up can cause you to stand out as the lone resident with holiday lighting that lasts into the spring and summer.
Burnout is the last issue to be addressed. If you leave them plugged in for extended periods, they will take a little while to fade or damage out more quickly than usual. Buying new sets yearly may cost more than removing them and buying new ones each winter.
LED lights are very costly compared to typical traditional lights. Some throw very bright light, which generates headaches for some people.
Cost Factors For Leaving Them Throughout The Year
The expense is one of the main factors to consider when deciding whether to leave them on all year. There are many things to consider, including the initial cost of the lights, their installation, and the energy expenses involved in maintaining their lighting.
Starting Expenses
The original cost of outdoor Christmas lights and installation and repair charges can be expensive. Moreover, some lighting options, such as LED bulbs (which consume less electricity), are frequently more costly than standard incandescent bulbs.
Electricity Prices
Operating them will increase electricity prices because they require more power. You will be responsible for decorating the outside of your home or business for the entire year. Check with your local energy provider to see what discounts might be available; they might even offer kits with timers and energy-efficient bulbs to help you save money.
Use solar-powered LED lights or timers that turn off the lights when there is a day, so they only switch on at night if you want to save money and ensure your display stays beautiful all year.
Advice For Maintaining Them Throughout The Year
Source: goodhousekeeping.com
How to keep the holiday decorations up all year without adding to the effort. You should consider the following maintenance advice to increase their lifespan:
Changing The Lights Off
To ensure that the entire string of Christmas lights remains bright, check each morning for frayed wires or bulbs that need to be replaced. Replacing lights is a simple approach to take care of problems before they get worse and will spare you the trouble of dealing with many burned-out bulbs simultaneously.
Frequently Cleaning
Regularly wiping down your Christmas lights with a moist cloth will help keep dust and other particles from accumulating and possibly causing electrical damage. Refrain from immersing them in the water, too! Electric severe shocks or even fires may result from this.
Examination For Damage
It’s also a good idea to check your Christmas string lights regularly for damage. This entails checking the cord for tears or breaks and carefully inspecting the bulbs for cracks that could cause breakage or future failures. Each component of the string light can be examined to find early indications of wear and tear that require maintenance before they become dangerous.
Conclusion.
Ultimately, leaving your Christmas lights up is entirely up to you. But if it upsets you or becomes an issue, grab your ladder, store containers, and start taking it down.
Consider the pros and cons of Christmas lights before making a decision. There are advantages and disadvantages. If you decide to take them down, you can always buy new, innovative methods to decorate your house and celebrate Christmas again the following year.
