Winter is all about starting a new chapter of life and being grateful for all the blessings you have. It’s the time to sit with your family and loved ones and tell them how precious they are! The trick and treat at Halloween, turkey dinner at Thanksgiving, and those dazzling lights on Christmas, everything is simply magic. In the meantime, if you do not look for some smart ways to save energy for the whole month, it'll burden your pocket in the end. Nobody wants that, right?
Then, what is the solution to this problem? How to save energy during the holidays?
To answer this question, our experts at Yellowlite have invested time and effort to formulate 10 easy ways to save energy during holidays.
The Top Ways to Save Energy This Holiday Season are Right Here!
1. Use a smart thermostat
Using a smart thermostat can reduce your energy cost by up to 23%. Such thermostats automatically adjust temperature settings at your place. Smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled and make temperature transitions easier.
Also, these thermo-regulators adapt according to your habits and schedule temperature stings accordingly. For example, they’ll automatically switch to energy-saving mode when you are away or asleep.
Pro Tip: Set your thermostat to as high as 78°F or more in your comfort zone, this practice will help you save up to (6-8) % of energy.
2. Use the Oven & Cooktop Reasonably
One of the most effective ways to save energy in your home is to use your oven and cooktop smartly. Oven and stovetop contribute a lot to increasing your electricity bill, by making simple changes you can reduce your energy charges manifolds.
Here are some tips to use your oven during the holiday season:
- Close the oven door appropriately, or turn down the temperature to save energy.
- Ceramic and glass dishes have more heat-retaining capability than meta pots, so you can keep the temperature up to 25 degrees or less while cooking in glass and ceramic dishes.
- Using the oven light instead of peeking to check the status of the dish while cooking will save heat and reduce your cooking time as well.
- Start prep on other dishes while one is being cooked in the oven, it’ll save heat and a lot of energy.
- Using small appliances such as toasters and slow oven light cookers can save an enormous amount of energy as compared to your regular oven.
Tips to save energy while using your cooktop:
- If you have an electrical stovetop, turn off the burners about 5-10 minutes before the dish is done. It’ll let your dish cook nicely and conserve at the same time.
- Using perfect-sized pans can save a huge amount of energy on electric stoves. A 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner wastes up to 40% of the heat. That means more energy is wasted which will add up to your energy bill.
- It's better to use small pans while cooking small meals. Also, keeping lids on also saves heat and energy.
3. Use LED Lights
Using LED lights is also one of the smartest ways to save energy over the holidays. You can save up to 80% of your energy by using LED lights instead of incandescent lighting on your Christmas tree. Not only that, you can install LED lights in your home or office to reduce your energy bill throughout the year.
Please take a look at the energy usage cost of different types of LED Lights.
(Source: Silicon Power Valley)
|
Types of LED Lights |
Power Comparison with Incandescent Lights |
Usage per Hour |
Cost per Hour |
|
CFL/LED (15 W) |
Equivalent to 60 w incandescent |
0.015 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
CFL/LED (27 W) |
Equivalent to 100 w incandescent |
0.027 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
CFL/LED (8 W) |
Equivalent to 25 w incandescent |
0.008 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
CFL/LED (20 W) |
Equivalent to 75 w incandescent |
0.02 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
CFL/LED (38 W) |
Equivalent to 150 w incandescent |
0.038 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
CFL/LED (11 W) |
Equivalent to 40 w incandescent |
0.01 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
4. Check Your Air Conditioning
A poorly-maintained air conditioner can be a massive source of increased energy bills in your residential or commercial building. It is better to regularly maintain your air conditioner, keep it clean, and change its air filter now and then. It'll increase the functionality of your AC and reduce your energy bill as well.
Moreover, you can use a fan and AC simultaneously to save energy costs. The reason is that running a fan is much more affordable than running an AC. Statistically, running a fan will only cost you $5 for the entire month. In winter (in the holiday season especially) the temperature is already low, so using a fan is more beneficial than using the air conditioner.
Using an air conditioner and a ceiling fan will enable you to set your thermostat at approx. 4°F higher without any addition to the energy bill.
Average energy usage cost of fan and air conditioner
|
Type of AC/Fan |
Energy Consumption by Hour |
Cost per Hour |
|
Window/wall (18kBtu) (240V) |
1.8 kWh per hour |
$0.23 per hour |
|
Window/wall (8kBtu) (120V–12 EER) |
0.73 kWh per hour |
$0.09 per hour |
|
Central (3 ton–12 SEER) |
3.0 kWh per hour |
$0.39 per hour |
|
Ceiling fan |
0.025–0.075 kWh per hour |
Less than $0.01 per hour |
|
Whole house fan |
0.2–0.4 kWh per hour |
$0.03–$0.05 per hour |
5. Close your Shutters and Blinds
Closing your shutters and blinds is equally beneficial in summer and winter. It’s one of the best ways to save energy during holidays, especially when you are leaving your home.
In summer, keeping your drapes down will restrict the entry of sunlight into your home. That will ultimately enhance the cooling efficiency of your home's cooling unit. On the other hand, in winter, keeping your drapes down will keep your place well-heated.
Bonus Tip: keeping your shutters and blinds down also saves the paint on your walls, as the sun fades colors!
6. Use Electric Appliances Smartly
If you are tired of thinking about how to save energy at home? Using your electric appliances smartly is the best answer to this never-ending puzzle.
People always try to reduce the food items or empty their fridges while leaving for holidays. It causes a lot of food wastage, and reducing the power of your fridge is a better alternative to this practice. It'll keep your food fresh for a long time and save energy as well.
If you are in dire need of purchasing some new appliances this holiday season, consider buying ENERGY STAR devices to save energy costs.
Moreover, if you have a swimming pool in your home, it’s very important to have all the appliances required to operate it while leaving your place for the holidays.
Average energy usage cost of home appliances
|
Electric Appliances |
Energy Consumption by Month/Hour |
Cost per Month/Hour |
|
Refrigerator (frost-free), 15 cu. ft. (1996 unit) |
150 kWh per month |
$19.50 per month |
|
ENERGY STAR Refrigerator, 14 cu. ft. |
34.5 kWh per month |
$ 4.49 per month |
|
Freezer (manual defrost), 15 cu. ft. |
90 kWh per month |
$11.70 per month |
|
Electric heater (1500 W) |
1.5 kWh per hour |
$0.20 per hour |
|
Swimming Pool Appliances |
Energy Consumption by Hour |
Cost per Month/Hour |
|
Sweep pump (3/4 hp) |
0.56 kWh per hour |
$0.07 per hour |
|
Dual-speed pump |
1.5 kWh per hour |
$0.20 per hour |
|
Variable-speed pump |
0.12 kWh per hour |
$0.02 per hour |
|
Single-speed pump |
0.54 kWh per hour |
$0.07 per hour |
7. Try giving energy-efficient gifts
Holiday office downtime can be a fantastic opportunity to get a sense of where you might be able to conserve energy. Business owners can give energy-efficient gifts to employees to save energy during the holiday season.
ENERGY STAR labeling is given to energy-efficient televisions, appliances, and computers. As stocking stuffers, you can also give rechargeable batteries and LED light bulbs. It’s a great initiative in environment conservation and building a habit of saving energy in your staff.
8. Use Energy-efficient Dehumidifiers
A dehumidifier is an excellent addition to your air conditioner in hot, humid areas, and a terrific method to reduce humidity levels. Your air conditioner must chill the air while also eliminating moisture when the air in your house is too humid.
Due to the fact that they don't have to work as hard to cool the air, dehumidifiers also save on electricity. But if you are looking for ways to save energy, then buying energy-efficient dehumidifiers is more useful than the standard ones.
9. Unplug all the unused appliances
Turning off Christmas lights while not in use is another approach to cut costs. This will lessen the total energy use and ultimately cost you less money.
Additionally, Christmas lights may be set to turn off automatically on a timer just in case you forget. Use battery-operated candles to maintain the festive atmosphere and save your electricity costs.
10. Switch Renewable Energy Sources (Solar Panels Are your way to go)
Over the holidays, when you consume more power than at any other time of the year. Solar is a fantastic home improvement to think about to save energy costs. You are effectively paying less upfront for the electricity you will consume over the next 25 years or more when you invest in a solar energy system. In addition to a greater house resale value, you'll notice a notable improvement in your utility costs for years to come.
Your power bill can be significantly decreased using solar energy. Your solar system's ability to produce a certain quantity of electricity will determine how much money you can save. If your home is equipped with solar panels, you can access the utility grid at a more affordable rate tier.
If you want to hang the lights on your Christmas tree without worrying about your costs, solar energy's benefits are too great to ignore.
Contact Yellowlite to Get the Best Solar Installations in Cleveland, Ohio
Yellowlite is your ultimate destination to get top-notch solar panel installations in Cleveland, Ohio. We have been serving the residential and commercial areas of Ohio with the best solar services since 2009.
Depending on size and complexity, a typical home solar panel installation should take two to five days. To ensure that installations are carried out in a secure and qualified way, Yellowlite's licensed installers rigorously adhere to building and electrical construction requirements.
If you are looking for the easiest ways to save energy during the holidays. Yellowlite is your one-stop solution without a second guess!
Why Yellowlite?
Now, you don’t need to search for “solar energy providers near me” because the best service providers are only a call away!
Here are some qualities that make us the right pick for you!
- We have a dynamic energy storage calculator that you can use to get a clear estimate of your energy cost per month.
- YellowLite is a trusted brand since our installers are certified by NABCEP, LG, Sunpower, Tesla, and Certainteed.
- For residential solar panel installation, our solar professionals will assess your property and energy requirements.
- Our review involves a thorough examination of your existing energy demand, solar system size requirements, and projected savings over a 30-year period.
Most importantly, we are committed to using solar energy to reduce our environmental impact and our influence on the earth. We already know that solar can deliver both energy independence and significant financial returns, and we aim to ensure that all our clients have access to this renewable energy resource.
Play your role in environmental conservation with YellowLite, Let's build clean and green earth for our future generations together!
Contact Us
Have you already given a yellowlite solar expert a call to set up the first consultation? To begin, get in touch with us immediately. We are eagerly waiting to serve you with the best!
