Eat, Drink, Be Merry and Save on Heating and Electricity this Holiday Season
We’ve been blessed with great weather in the Hood County / Granbury, Texas area the past couple of weeks. Who would have thought we would see 70-degree days in December, especially with memories of last season’s winter freeze fresh in our minds?
Take advantage of this mild spell to have your heaters checked out by our Daffan team, if you haven’t already. This is also a good time to get some repairs, replacements and new HVAC installations done.
When you have peace of mind that your heating system is in tip-top shape, you can focus on the things that make the holiday season a wonderful time for spending time with family and friends. We’d like to share some energy and money-saving holiday tips that will help you out as we approach Christmas and New Year’s.
Holiday Parties? You Can Lower the Thermostat
When you have a gathering of friends and family at home, did you know the body heat can raise the temperature in the room? That’s why it’s a good idea to drop the thermostat a few degrees during your holiday party. Not only will you save some money on your monthly bills, but you’ll make the rooms less stuffy. If you’re having an Ugly Sweater party, that’s more reason to keep the room a little cooler and comfortable! And remember, you’ll have delicious food and goodies cooking or baking in the oven and on the stove—that will help keep your home warm, too.
Eating and Drinking
Speaking of food, remember to reuse plastic tubs, glass jars and other containers to store leftovers. You can also use these containers to store miscellaneous holiday decorating items and accessories for presents, like bows, ribbon and gift tags.
And as all of us know, there often is lots of food left over after our holiday parties. Instead of tossing it out, consider donating some of those untouched dishes or plates of treats to a food bank or homeless shelter.
Decorations
A few years ago, energy-saving LED lights were used mostly in commercial holiday displays. Now the price has come down, and the technology has improved where they are being used more and more in residential displays. The LEDs are bright and have many colors, compared to a few years past when people complained they weren’t bright enough or were boring to look at. Now you can find them just about everywhere at a good price. And they save a lot on electricity costs! According to the Dept. of Energy, it only costs .27 cents to light a 6-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days, way less than incandescent lights, which would cost $10 to light a tree for that period of time!
Turn Your Christmas Tree Into Useful Mulch
Check with your city or county government to see if you can take your Christmas tree to a mulching center after the holidays. Hood County usually sponsors a mulching center each year–we’re waiting for them to announce the details this year!
Check out the infographic below for more holiday tips!
