It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and while the weather outside may be frightful, all we want this holiday season is for you to know that your home can stay warm, cozy and safe while you celebrate the holidays. Luckily, you can do that and save money with a few holiday energy-saving tips and safety recommendations.

Use LED holiday lights

The days of running up your electric bill to decorate for the holiday are over thanks to the availability of energy-efficient LED holiday lights. LED lights use up to 90% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last up to 50 times longer. As an added gift to yourself, in addition to helping you save money on holiday lighting, LED lights stay cool where incandescent lights get hot, making LED holiday lights a safer choice. Reduce electricity use during the holidays and reduce the risk of a fire? That’s an easy choice to make!

Don’t forget that using decorations like tinsel, mirrors and reflective ornaments will make your home brighter and more festive without using any electricity at all. 

Seal drafts and air leaks

It’s always a good idea to caulk or weatherstrip windows and doors, or anywhere there might be a draft; this helps you be more energy efficient all year long. Since you’re already going to be outside hanging lights and decorations, now is a great time to take this extra step to seal winter air leaks.

Set holiday light timers

Want to make the most of your holiday light savings? Put those decorations on a timer. If you’re not at home, there’s no need to have your interior decorations turned on, and your outside holiday lights are most visible after the sun sets. You can reduce energy waste by using a holiday light timer to create automated lighting schedules.

A good schedule will turn lights on around sunset and shut them back off after peak viewing hours. For example, you could set the timer so that your holiday lights are on from 4-10 p.m., which would have lights on when most people return from work and turn them off around when most people head to bed for the night.

For those who love technology, smart timers or smart plugs can take your automated lighting schedule to another level with light sensors or Wi-Fi enabled adjustments.

Practice electrical safety during the holidays

When plugging in holiday lights or decorations, it can be tempting to cram every power cord into an outlet, but it’s safer to spread things out between multiple outlets. It’s also a good idea to use surge protectors to avoid overloading circuits.

Before you turn on your decorations, check for frayed wired or broken bulbs. Frayed wires are particularly dangerous and can lead to housefires, so pay close attention before plugging anything in, and replace damaged decorations with more energy-efficient LED lights.

Manage the temperature

Heating can account for almost 50% of winter energy use, but there are a few different ways you can bring that percentage down. You can start by taking advantage of smart thermostat savings. Using smart or programmable thermostats allows you to automate temperature changes when you’re asleep, at work or traveling. Now is a great time to think about upgrading to a smart thermostat; it’s a holiday gift for your whole family, and we may have rebates that can help you save even more.

Planning on having a holiday gathering? People generate heat! Lower the thermostat a few degrees when you’re hosting will help people stay comfortable while also reducing heating costs.

Cook efficiently

If your kitchen is going to be the center of holiday food preparation, keep in mind that you can save energy while baking, cooking and mixing. Start by getting out all your ingredients at once, getting things out of the refrigerator quickly. Bake multiple dishes at once and avoid opening the oven door if you don’t need to, as this let’s heat escape.

In addition to energy-efficient holiday cooking, remember that baking all day can raise the temperature in your kitchen, which may allow you to lower your thermostat by a couple of degrees.

Happy holidays

Whether you’re hosting holiday parties or preparing to ring in the new year, there are a lot of simple ways to save energy this winter. Holiday energy efficiency is a great way to save on utility costs, and these tips will help keep you off the naughty list.

And don’t forget you may be eligible for rebates when you take steps to be more energy efficient!