With Thanksgiving out of the way, the holiday season has officially begun. Homeowners across New Hampshire are bringing out their lights and preparing their ovens for holiday feasts. However, all this celebrating can put a real strain on your energy bills. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of ways to help minimize the increase in your energy bills. As our Christmas present to you, we want to offer some holiday energy tips to help you save more this winter.

Here are some holiday energy tips any homeowner can use:

Smaller gatherings, smaller meals

Do you have more reserved holiday gatherings that don’t get as many visitors? If so, you can save some energy by getting a smaller main course. Not only will it be quicker to cook (which uses less energy,) but you also won’t have to deal with having a week’s worth of leftovers.

Other simple cooking tips

There are plenty of other ways to cook smarter and save energy, such as:

• Not messing with the oven door or pot lids when something is cooking inside. Even a quick peek can drop the internal temperature by 25°F. This will force your oven to work harder to maintain your preferred cooking temperature.
• Cooking side dishes alongside the main course, such as stuffing alongside Christmas ham. Keep in mind how the temperature for the main dish will affect cooking times for other dishes.
• Using the smallest appliances you can. Why cook something in an oven when a microwave will work while using less energy?

Avoid phantom energy drain

Many New England families like to go on vacation somewhere warmer during the winter. However, electronics can still put a drain on your energy bills when they aren’t in use. Before leaving on vacation, unplug your electronics such as computers, TVs, and printers. That way, they can’t use small bits of energy and raise your bills.

Deck the halls with LED lights

It’s no secret that decorating your home with lights is a common holiday tradition. However, you can save money on this tradition by switching to LED Christmas lights. On average, these use about 10% of the energy normal light strings use. Also, they produce less heat, making them safer and less likely to cause fires if used improperly.

Heat your home with body heat

Having friends and family over can be one of the best parts of the holidays. Also, it can be a good opportunity to reduce your heating bills. Having lots of people in your home can raise the temperature from their body heat. If you drop your thermostat before company arrives, you can balance out the increase in heat while spending less on energy. You can expect an average savings of about 3% per degree you lower the temperature.

What makes North Shore Home Energy a high-quality pick for winter heating assistance?

North Shore Home Energy LLC is a small local dedicated HVAC & Refrigeration service company in the North Shore providing excellent service to homes, businesses, and restaurants. With over 25 years in the industry, North Shore Home Energy is here to educate our customers on maintenance and strive for 100% customer satisfaction. Our attention to detail, on-demand service, and fair pricing will keep you running smoothly year after year. We are a proud participating contractor with the Mass Save program. Ask us about rebates up to $3,500 and 0% financing for 7 years. Call North Shore Home Energy today to learn more about keeping your home warm this winter!

By nshec