The holidays are here. Lights are up on houses. Trees are decorated. Cookies and candies are being prepared. Party plans are made. No doubt about it – it’s a hectic time of year making holiday preparations. And if you’re like many Austin-area AC and heating consumers, this time of year can really drain your bank account with increased energy usage and more people around the house for two weeks. Here are some tips to help make your holidays a bit less expensive.
1. Switch to LED lights, both inside and outside.
LED lights use 90% less electricity than regular decorative lights, and can be purchased for around $10 a strand.
2. Use fiber optic decorations.
Fiber optic trees and decorations are the ultimate in energy efficiency. They typically use a single light bulb located in the base of the unit to light the entire object.
3. Limit the time lights are actually on.
Turn on your lights at dark or no earlier than dusk; then, turn them off before you go to bed. Six hours or less of daily use is a good goal. Better yet, set a timer, and forget about it.
4. Turn off lights and lamps when your tree lights are on.
The lights on your Christmas tree should provide more than enough lighting to navigate around the room.
5. Decorate with candles.
Candlelight this time of year is a must. It offers a festive, warm glow to the season and doesn’t add anything to your energy bill.
6. Turn the thermostat down when you have guests.
Extra bodies in the house means extra warmth at no cost to you. Typically, 66-68 degrees is considered comfortable for most people during the winter months. Of course, as is usual in Central Texas, many of us are still using our air conditioning this time of year. At least we can be grateful for relatively mild winters and that our HVAC units don’t have to work as hard as our northern neighbors. Right?
We at 1st AC and Heating wish you and your family the happiest and safest of holidays. If you do have heating or cooling problems over the holidays, give us a call. We’ll send out a licensed HVAC technician to your home or business in Austin, Buda, Kyle, or San Marcos, Texas and make sure your system is functioning at its most efficient.