How Long Do LED Christmas Lights Last?

LED Christmas lights have a lifespan of about 25,000 to 75,000 hours, which is roughly equivalent to 6 or 7 seasons if they are high-quality lights in a typical indoor or outdoor setting. You can reasonably expect professional-grade LED Christmas lights to last much longer with normal use and prompt storage at the end of each season.

LED Christmas lights last much longer than incandescent bulbs. Dozens of incandescent Christmas light sets will burn out over the course of 25,000 to 75,000 hours.

The main factors that affect the lifespan of LED Christmas lights are quality, storage, and weather. The factor that has the greatest impact is the quality of the light set. The lifespan of low-quality and retail-grade lights is questionable. Low-quality and retail-grade lights are made with cheap components through cost-cutting methods, which means they have a much shorter lifespan than professional-grade LED Christmas lights. Cheap LED lights may sometimes not even last a season.

How you store your lights is an important part of maintaining your LED Christmas lights. Light storage includes when to take down your lights and how to put them away. When to take down your LED Christmas lights depends on the weather conditions in your area and when you celebrate the holidays. For some people, the day after Christmas is the day to take down the lights. Others take down the lights on January 6, the 12th and last day of Christmas, known as Epiphany. And for those in other colder areas, it's best to wait for a day of mild weather between periods of severe cold, snow, and ice. Usually, a reasonable time to take down your lights is January or February. If you leave your lights on year-round, the estimated lifespan may be shortened to 2 to 2 and a half years.

Before storing your lights, make sure they are completely dry and free of moisture. Store your lights in a place that's not too hot, as overheating can shorten the lifespan of your LED Christmas lights. Your home is an ideal place to store your lights, but a garage is also OK, as long as it's not constantly exposed to high temperatures. Avoid storing your attic, which absorbs and retains heat.

Another factor that affects the lifespan of your LED Christmas lights is the weather. Professional-grade LED Christmas lights are designed to withstand the outdoor elements such as cold, snow and ice that occur in certain areas during the holiday season. However, elements near the ocean can negatively affect LED lights. The corrosive effects of sea salt spray can reduce the life of LED light sets by up to 50%, so prompt and correct storage is essential. Check out our comparison to learn more about the technical aspects of LED Christmas lights.