Why We Tend to Use More Energy During the Holidays

Many of us are inspired during the holiday season to decorate, host gatherings, and make things more festive at home. These activities can potentially make the season much more enjoyable for people, but they can also cause us to use a lot of energy, which can be expensive. Below, we offer some recommendations as to you how you can reduce your energy bills during the next few months and save some money in the process.

Be More Efficient in the Kitchen

If you’re hosting a gathering, it’s likely that you’re going to be serving up a lot of food. Whether you’re cooking up a big feast or have something else planned, be strategic about how you’re going to be using your oven and other cooking appliances. You might want to cook multiple dishes in the oven at the same time to reduce how long it has to be on. Opening the oven door to check on your food can make your oven work overtime. Instead, turn on the oven light and take a peek at your dishes with the door closed, or set up your dishes with an external thermometer so that you can check their progress. When it’s time to clean up, only run your dishwasher with a full load, and consider omitting the heating cycle. Towel drying your items can save energy.

Turn Down the Heat

On cold days, it can be nice to get cozy in a warm, comfortable home. However, it requires a lot of resources to heat your home, so if you can get by with the temperature being a few degrees cooler, you’ll end up saving yourself money. When hosting a large gathering, you can turn it down even more, since everyone’s body heat will add warmth to a room. A smart thermostat can make it easier to program your system and turn things down when you’re away.

Use Modern LED Lighting

LEDs can be significantly more efficient than incandescent bulbs. If you’re someone who decorates your home with outdoor lights or decorates an indoor tree for the holidays, you could save a lot by switching what type of lights you use. Incandescent lights require a lot of energy to work, and they tend to get very hot when illuminated. LEDs, on the other hand, stay cool and use relatively little energy to light up. Plus, they look more modern, so making the switch can be a win-win situation.

Cut Down Energy Usage During the Holidays

Paying attention to daily habits and changing a few things can end up making a big difference in terms of your energy consumption. if you’re located in the Lafayette area, please call Comeaux Electrical Services for any advice or professional assistance you may need.