Just How Safe Are Your Home's LED Christmas Lights? We Asked An Expert

If you're planning to say goodbye to traditional Christmas lights and join the sustainable trend of switching to LED Christmas lights, you're probably a fan of the energy efficiency and durability they offer. However, you might have heard of a fire risk with LED Christmas lights and wondered whether this was something you should worry about. Rather than rely on social media rumors and hearsay, why not learn about the potential hazards around LED Christmas lights directly from an expert? Daniel Mock, VP of Operations at Mister Sparky Electrical, spoke to House Digest in an exclusive interview about the safety of LED Christmas lights.

When comparing LED vs. incandescent lights on your Christmas tree, LEDs are significantly safer in terms of the fire risk, but Mock said they aren't 100% safe if they're damaged at all. "Inspect your lights BEFORE you use them," he said. "Look for missing bulbs, frayed wiring, bent plugs, etc. If you have used them in past holiday seasons, you may also want to see if they have become brittle or worn from being exposed to the elements. Any damage may result in a disaster." Additionally, Mock said you should only use lights in the location for which they're rated, either indoors or outdoors, to maintain the safest operation.

If you're concerned about the safety of using LED Christmas lights, Mock says you can take a few simple precautions to greatly reduce the risk of fire. Start by only purchasing high-quality lights. "Look for the UL-Listed or CSA-Certified label on the packaging or on the label attached to the lights themselves," he stated in an exclusive interview with House Digest. Plugging in and setting up your lights correctly is equally critical. "Use surge protection in your home," Mock advised, adding that outdoor lights need ground-fault protected circuits. "Never exceed the recommended wattage, and do not plug too many lights into one outlet; overloaded circuits can easily start fires."

If you're uncertain whether leaving your Christmas lights on all night is dangerous, Mock noted he would not recommend keeping them lit and unattended. Not only could pets be curious and potentially damage them, but they're not really meant to be lit for 24 hours straight or longer. "Leaving lights unattended is never a good idea," he said, explaining that turning them off and taking them down following the holidays helps extend their lifespan. "Indoor LED lights can be left on for 8 to 12 hours; outdoor [LEDs] can be used for about the same amount of time. Use a timer or smart plug to control the timing."

As a final safety precaution, never use indoor-rated LED Christmas lights for outdoor displays, Mock said. If your outdoor-rated LEDs aren't guaranteed water-safe, take precautions to keep them out of damp environments. "Make sure your lights are not placed where they would be exposed to puddles or snow, space heaters, fireplaces, candles, curtains, or flammable decorations," he stated, adding that you should always use a properly rated indoor or outdoor extension cord. 

As another advantage of shifting to holiday LEDs, Mock pointed out that you may receive some operational cost savings by switching to LEDs. "Most folks know by now that LED lights use a fraction of the electricity of standard incandescent lights, and the same is true for holiday lights," he explained in an exclusive interview with House Digest. "If you're making the switch from incandescent lighting to LEDs, you can save about 70% to 80% more on electricity usage and have up to 20 times the lifespan, so the cost difference over time is certainly significant." The precise amount of money you'll save will vary depending on factors like usage and household size. "But these options definitely provide noticeable savings," Mock said.

If you like outdoor Christmas light displays, you could save further with outdoor-rated LEDs that use solar panels to provide the power, Mock shared. "The only thing better than cheap is free," he stated. "Solar powered LED holiday lights can be a great choice and have just about as many styles as their plug-in counterparts. What's great is that they won't cost you a penny more than what you pay for them, and you have more flexibility about where you can put them."