The holidays are not far off, so this is a good time to think about ways to make them special for your family and friends. Gift-giving can take a big bite out of your budget, but you can ease the strain by saving money with some of these energy-saving tips before, during and after the holidays:
- Replace your old Christmas lights with strings of LED lights or fiber-optic decorations. LEDs use a 10th as much energy as regular bulbs and last much longer, too.
- Turn your tree lights and outside holiday lights off during the day and late at night. Use a timer to do this automatically if you keep forgetting to flip the switch.
- Manage your thermostat wisely. You can save a lot of money on your heating bill if you turn the thermostat down when everyone is in bed. A programmable thermostat is ideal for adjusting your heating levels on a regular schedule. You can also turn down the heat when you have a lot of guests in your house, since each body is a compact source of warmth that your furnace doesn’t need to provide.
- Try to make your gift-giving unplugged and battery-free. Go back to the old days of gift-giving, with books, food, handmade toys and clothing near the top of your list. If you do give your immediate family toys or electronics that require batteries, get a battery charger and use rechargeable batteries.
- Use your kitchen efficiently. Plan your baking ahead so that you have the oven heated up when you want to heat your house. Bake several items right after each other so you don’t have to heat up a cold oven for each one. Adjust your stovetop burners to avoid wasting heat. Keep pots covered to keep heat in and cook faster.
- Keep the cars parked and walk for entertainment and errand-running. Our mild Oregon winters usually allow for pleasant excursions on foot to view neighborhood decorations or for quick trips to nearby stores.
Please contact us at (503) 266-1249 for more energy-saving tips for your Portland area home. Save energy and add cheer to your holidays.
