By Amy Fiala
The most magical time of the year is here! Coloradans will soon be gathering with friends and family to enjoy turkey and stuffing, decorating our homes and spreading holiday cheer. Whether you’re celebrating this joyful holiday season by traveling or safely hosting family and friends, it’s a time to be thankful for those in our lives.
The holidays also can be stressful due to increased spending, not just for gifts and celebrations, but also because we begin using more energy to heat and light our homes during the colder months. The good news is that being more energy-efficient is simpler than you may think! In fact, all it takes are a few easy behavioral changes, whether you’ll be at home, away from home or both, to make a big impact on your bill.
If you’re traveling:
Turn down the thermostat: If you’ll be away from home, especially for several days, there’s no need to keep your home as warm as you usually do — you aren’t there to appreciate it! Simply turn your thermostat down seven to ten degrees to conserve energy while you’re away. Consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat with a heating schedule. This allows you to schedule turning down the heat when you leave and turning it back up before you return, so you don’t walk into a cold house. Black Hills Energy offers a rebate on Energy Star certified smart thermostats to help cover the cost of upgrading.
Unplug appliances: Large appliances, like coffee makers and computers, should be unplugged if you’re not home for the holidays. Even if the appliances aren’t turned on or in use, they can still use energy by simply being plugged in — this is called phantom energy. Get in the habit of unplugging unused appliances on a daily basis, to help conserve energy and manage your utility bill. Or use a smart power strip, which can detect when a device is in standby mode and cut power off, to help you reduce that phantom energy use.
Make sure all lights are off: Similar to turning down your thermostat, you don’t need lights on when you aren’t home. If you’re away, the most visible and easiest tip to save energy is to turn off your lights before you drive away. Some people like to leave a few outside lights on, so it isn’t as apparent that the house is empty. If that’s your preference, consider turning the inside lights off or use a timer, so your lights are only on at select times.
If you’re staying home:
Cooking a lot? Multitask: If you plan on cooking multiple dishes or tasty treats, bake as many as you can at the same time. Take advantage of the energy that goes into heating up the oven fewer times to use less energy and save on your utility bill.
Air-dry dishes: When it comes to cleaning up all the dishes used for your holiday meal, a dishwasher is usually the go-to solution. Use the air-dry setting on your dishwasher instead of the heated-dry option for a more energy efficient choice. If you don’t have an air-dry option, you can save energy and money by opening the dishwasher door after the wash cycle to let your dishes manually air dry.
Hosting? Lower the thermostat: When cooking for and hosting guests in your home, the temperature will naturally be raised. Consider turning down the thermostat a bit when you’re hosting a gathering. This will also ensure that your guests don’t get too warm!
Lighten up with LED lights: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lights use 90% less electricity than regular lights, helping you pay less on your utility bill. If you plan on creating a festive environment by decorating with lighting, consider buying the most energy-efficient type of lights. Another tip? Don’t forget to put these lights on a timer so they aren’t on and using energy when it’s still too light to really see and appreciate them.
Close the fireplace damper: If you’re enjoying a fire in a natural fireplace (i.e., not gas or electric) this holiday season, keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Leaving the damper open is the same as leaving a window open — you don’t want warm air escaping or cold air coming in from the chimney!
Following these tips can go a long way towards making this holiday season more energy efficient and saving money, helping you start 2023 off on the right foot. For more energy-saving and weatherization tips and customer assistance program details, visit Team Ready | Black Hills Energy. And, if you’re struggling to pay your energy bill, reach out to our customer service team, who can help with billing options and energy assistance programs.
Black Hills Energy wishes you a cheery holiday season filled with laughter, joy… and energy savings!
Amy Fiala is Energy Efficiency Program Coordinator for Black Hills Energy.