Celebrate the Holidays While Saving Energy

Posted on 12-20-2017

We are all too familiar with the hustle and bustle this time of year.   More lights are shining in and around our homes, the kitchen is being used more than any other time during the year, and added guests means more energy being consumed in your home.  Don't let your energy bill be a reason to worry this holiday season.  There are some easy ways to save on energy during the holidays.

It's all in the lighting - You probably already guessed this, but switching to LED lights makes a difference.  Did you know that LED lights use nearly 90% less energy than regular Christmas lights? And, LED lights last 100,000 hours - now that's a lot of holidays you can get through with the same lights.  Another option is using decorations that have fiber optic lighting which is a super energy efficient choice because with fiber optics, only one bulb is used to light many light points.

Timing really is everything - Using a timer on your holiday lights will help cut waste and keep the time you use your lights consistant.  Besides, do you really want to go out in the cold every night to unplug your lights...or allow them to burn all night because it's just too cold to go outside?  Timers are inexpensive and will help eliminate energy waste.

Fire away - Not only does a fireplace look festive during the holidays, they actually work in heating your room.  However, warm air in the room can be sucked up the chimney once the fire dies down causing your heater to work overtime.  Energy.gov recommends using grates with a C-shaped metal tubes which allows cool air into the chimney while circulating warm air back into the room.

Sunny days warm a room - Take advantage of sunny days during the winter months by opening blinds and curtains to let the warmth of the sun help in heating your rooms.  Not only will the natural light help warm you but will boost your spirits.  Once the sun goes down, be sure to close off the windows to avoid losing warm air and keeping cold drafts at bay.

Enjoy your holiday season!