Seasonal Lighting – Rope Lights Versus String Lights
Are you looking forward to the holidays until you think about the task up putting up the seasonal lighting? When you think of the time it takes to get the right lights and get them put up both outside and inside your home, do you lose all your Christmas spirit and feel more like the Grinch Who Dreads Lights?
You need to be able to make an informed decision about the difference in rope lights versus string lights. There isn’t a right way to light up your home. There are preferred ways and then there are easier ways.
Rope lights have sturdy PVC plastic tubing that protects the bulbs. That’s a nice little safety feature there so that if a light is broken in transit, you don’t get cut or poked. Remember how the string lights would get tangled up into one giant ball of frustration? You don’t have that problem with rope lights. Since the lights are inside the tubing, they don’t tangle up.
Ever spill something on string lights? They’re not easy to clean up if at all. With rope lights, if something spills on that outer tubing, the tubing is easy to wipe clean. In areas where there’s a lot of foot traffic, the rope lights are safer to use if you’re lining a walk area. With any decoration, rope lights can be used as an accent color and will give you a better fit because they’re easier to secure in place.
Rope lights wrap around objects in unity. You won’t have stray lights that will shine in one direction while the rest of the lights shine another. These lights are easier to wrap around tree trunks without sliding out of place.
Whatever area or item you choose to decorate with rope lights, you can rest assured the rope lights will remain cooler to the touch since they don’t produce as much heat. They’re longer lasting and there’s less risk of overloading an outlet.
Now let’s look at string lights. They do cost less than rope lights and in a down economy, that’s always a plus. They’re easier to use on porch railings and columns. The lights don’t disappear from view if twined with garland like some rope lights do.
String lights are easier to tuck into Christmas tree branches. The bulbs are easier to replace unlike rope lights. If a rope light burns out in the middle, you may end up having to replace the entire length. If you use string lights, you can make them flash or chase with ease and it’s not expensive. With rope lights, the accessories, like controllers, can be very expensive.
To choose between the two types of seasonal lighting, decide what you can afford and weigh that in contrast with what you have to decorate. Sometimes, it’s worth paying a little more, but sometimes, it’s not.
