With the holiday season here and more people taking the opportunity to gather this year, you may be planning for an extra special meal with your loved ones. Many people are decorating their homes and getting in the holiday spirit this year. Sales are up on decor and gift-buying and a quick drive down the street will show you just how committed many are to making this year an extra special celebration.
While we certainly all love getting together and spreading good cheer, all of the tree lights and lawn decor can quickly spike your electricity bill if you’re not careful. There’s also the extra days off spent at home, hosting guests which means more showers and cooking and cleaning more than usual. All of these can contribute to your energy usage for the month. Here are a few things you can do this holiday season to help reduce your energy usage to make up for all the extra use while you’re home.
Choose Energy Efficient Lights
If you’re just looking to upgrade your indoor home lighting or are one of those homes that everyone stops by to see each year, it’s important to choose better, energy-efficient options to cut back on energy use. LED lights for both your home and your holiday string lights are a great option. These use up to 75% less and last much longer than the traditional bulbs you’re probably still using.
Don’t Heat Your House With A Fireplace
There may be nothing more relaxing and cozy during the holiday season than to light a crackling fire, but besides looking pretty in a photo, fires in the home are more problematic than helpful. Despite the heat coming from the flames, the breeze outside will usually pull all the heat up the chimney. Not to mention the potential for pollution if your chimney is not running at EPA standards. As your HVAC system works harder trying to maintain temps across all rooms of the house you’re pushing your energy usage even higher and not actually reducing use.
Invest In Solar Power For Your Home
One of the best ways to improve your home’s energy usage is to have a solar panel system installed. These systems at a most basic level harness energy from the sun and can even store it for future use, like at night or during winter storms – so you’re always saving on energy use.
Ready to go solar? Order online today! Have questions? Contact us to answer any questions you may have about going solar in general, placing an order online, or setting up a free in-home consultation with a more personal touch.
