Celebrate With Energy Savings This Holiday

The cost of heating is on the rise. According to the Energy Information Administration, the “average household expenditures for all space-heating fuels are projected to be $1,137 this winter (October 1 to March 31), a 15-percent increase over the estimated $986 spent last winter.” With this cost increase on the horizon, saving energy, and in turn, the almighty dollar, may be the best gift of all.

Energy output increases in the winter for a number of reasons. From increased heating to holiday lighting to more family gatherings and home cooked meals, you can see how energy costs add up. But don’t panic yet. Help is on the way. Here are some suggestions for how to reduce your energy use during the holidays.

The Heat is On

So what is your household temperature when the weather outside is frightful? Room temperature is generally somewhere in the range of 70 to 73°, but you can surely tolerate a room that is a few degrees cooler, like 68°.

Keep this fact in mind: For every one degree you turn down the thermostat in the winter, you’ll save up to five percent on your heating costs. Not to mention reducing the temperature by just two degrees can save 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

One good way to warm up your house without using excessive heat is by weatherstripping your doors and windows, since the cracks between doors and windows are the perfect opportunity for heating to escape. The U.S. Department of Energy has an extensive section on weatherstripping, even breaking down different types and where you’ll want to install them.

While lighting fires in your fireplace may seem like an eco-friendly heating alternative this winter, some artificial logs are made with toxic chemicals and produce carbon dioxide. Try an alternative log this year, like Cleanflame’s natural firelogs, or Duraflame’s biowax firelog.  If you can’t find a cleaner alternative for the fire, pass on the flame and bundle up with a warm blanket.

Shine Some Light

Lights are synonymous with the holidays. Even if you don’t cover your house with rooftop light displays, you’re bound to use more lighting when the days are shorter and less natural (and free) daylight is available.

The best way to monitor your lighting is to install energy-efficient bulbs. Around the house, installing compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) can significantly save the amount of energy you use. A CFL uses only 20 percent of the energy of an incandescent bulb, and also lasts up to 10 times longer. So, you’ll not only save money on utilities, but you’ll have to change bulbs less often.

One thing to remember when installing CFLs, though, is that they contain small traces of mercury. This makes recycling CFLs extremely important to restrict the amount of toxic chemicals we release into the environment.

If you’re lighting a Christmas tree, consider using LED lights which use 80 to 99 percent less energy than incandescents. You should also check out light timers, so lights will automatically turn on in the evening and off when you go to bed.