Christmas is a time of particularly high energy consumption. The whole house is heated as extra family members return home for the holidays. Lights, televisions and stereos are left on and cooking appliances are used more heavily as well as the many electric gadgets that are purchased as gifts.
You can save your household money at this time of year by being careful with your energy usage. But the good news is that there are plenty of ways that you can reduce the amount of energy you use while still decorating your home with Christmas lights. Below are some tips to consider this Christmas:
- Turn off your Christmas lights during the day and when you go to bed.
- LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights are ideal for strings of Christmas lights because they don’t get hot, they last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors and when one burns out, it doesn’t take the whole chain with it! They use up to 90% less energy than the traditional, larger Christmas bulbs. LED lights give off less heat, making your lights safer. What more could you ask for?
- If your Christmas lights are on, turn off some of your main lights.
- At Christmas over a 30 day period three sets of 100 traditional fairy lights would typically cost €5.00 in electricity, similar mini-lights would cost €2.00 to run and LED Lights can cost as little as €0.60 to run (allowing for lights to be on for 8 hours per day).
- Turn your heating down in the kitchen while cooking the Christmas dinner. Heat from the kitchen will keep surrounding areas warm.
- Extra activity and people in the home will mean it is easier to keep warm, turn your thermostat down a degree or two.
- Naturally made decorations such as holly and mistletoe will give your home a traditional festive feel without using any energy, and can be composted in January. Growing your own in the garden will keep you in ready supply.
Source: Environmental Services, Waterford City Council
Greenfields Residents Association 