Many people enjoy decorating the inside and outside of their homes this time of year. Not only does it help to put everyone in the holiday spirit, but it is a good way to set a tone for any dinner parties or guest visits that you might be hosting.
One concern about holiday decorating is energy usage. While not all decorating includes strands of lights, they are a big part of the holiday decorating process and can use quite a bit of energy.
This is especially true for any lights that you install on the outside of your home. Also, outside holiday decorations have turned from wooden and plaster statues to inflatables, which are plugged in and run a fan to inflate the rip-stop material.
All of these add fun and festivity to your home, but keep these energy saving tips in mind so they don’t add to your monthly utility bill:
- One of the best ways that you can save a lot of money on energy usage of your holiday decorations is to trade-in your old lights for LED lights. Strands of lights that are certified Energy Star LED will use up to 70% less energy than tradition bulbs so, they are worth the money. These lights are also much easier to install as you can connect up to 24 individual strands of LED lights without overloading a wall socket. Inside, there is no filament so you don’t have to worry about a light burning out.
- When you are out buying your holiday decorations and lights, make sure to check for those that include a rebate. Many products include a mail-in rebate option through Energy Star, which is meant to entice shoppers to purchase more energy-efficient options. Often, these rebates are included on both indoor and outdoor variety decorations.
- Consider setting a timer to have your decorations on. Rather than running your decorations all day and night, set them to run only after the sun has gone down and for a few hours into the evening. Having a ‘set it and forget it’ attitude about holiday decorations can really have a negative impact on your power bill.
Adding holiday decorations to your home is a wonderful way to bring the holiday spirit close to home. Make sure to follow these tips so that you power bill stays within reason and you save a little extra money.