5 Simple Ways to Save Energy During the Holiday Season

The holidays are times to gather with loved ones and celebrate the season. It's easy to lose sight of the importance of conserving energy when we light up our homes and cities to celebrate. Here are 5 energy-saving tips to keep your holiday season merry and bright and your energy usage down. 

Switch to LED Holiday lights. 

LED Holiday lights are brighter, last longer, and use less electricity than traditional incandescent lights. Although LED lights may cost a bit more than incandescent lights, these benefits compensate for the slight price difference.

Use a timer to manage lights. 

Set timers to automatically turn your holiday lights on and off at the appropriate time. To cut down on energy costs, the recommended daily timeframe that lights should be on is eight hours or less (usually starting at dusk and shutting off by bedtime). In addition, use a weatherproof outdoor timer to control exterior lights around your home safely.

Choose fiber optic decorations.

Fiber optic lights are among the best tech holiday decorations. The technology uses one light source that flows through fiber cable to multiple visible points of the light. That makes these energy-saving lights incredibly efficient. You can find numerous colors and innovative light effects in high-tech trees and light strings. Like LEDs, fiber optic decorations don't throw off heat, adding to their safety.

Lower the thermostat when the party starts. 

While hosting guests, turn down the heat since holiday cooking and having a few extra warm bodies automatically raises the temperature in your home.

Use smart plugs and timers for your holiday lights.

Smart plugs transform ordinary lights into smart decorations. Remembering to turn off Christmas tree lights and exterior decorations can be a chore, especially if you have several displays and have to switch off multiple installations. A holiday energy-saving tip is to plug them into smart plugs and program the timers to switch the lights on and off at certain times. Or use your smartphone to turn them on whenever you want.