Making the switch to LED light bulbs

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - With all the lights that go up around the holidays, you might want to think about LEDs.

As incandescent light bulbs continue to be phased out, LED bulbs are becoming an increasingly popular alternative.

100-watt incandescent bulbs were banned on January 1st. And now companies like Osram Sylvania, and Philips Electronics have announced new 100-watt LED light bulbs due to be released locally in the next few weeks.

While efficient, these bulbs are expensive, costing more than 50 dollars a bulb; certainly more of a long-term investment than an immediate bargain.

Ryan Carvalho, an employee at Home Depot, told 22News, "They don't use as much energy, they use up to 80 percent less energy than regular incandescent bulbs and that translates into huge savings in your utility bills throughout the lifespan of the bulb which some last up to 20 years."

For the holiday season, LED Christmas lights are more available than ever before. LED Christmas lights offer energy savings without the hassle of worrying about replacing bulbs.

Home Depot offers an exchange program where you can turn in your old incandescent Christmas lights for a discount toward LED Christmas lights.

As part of the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs, 75-watt bulbs will be banned at the start of next year.