SJG Conserve

It’s that time of year again: festive celebrations, family trips – and holiday spending. With gifts to buy, meals to prepare and growing household expenses, we’re all looking for ways to trim costs this holiday season.

Energy efficiency can help lower your energy costs and reduce impact on the environment, without sacrificing your family’s comfort. Whether you’re at home or away for the holidays, a few simple steps can help you save – start with these tips below.

Energy efficiency while you’re at home …

• Decorate with LED lights, which save more energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
• Put both exterior and interior holiday lights on timers.
• Clean air registers and make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, drapes, carpeting, or decorations.
• Set the thermostat to the lowest temperature that’s comfortable, day and night.
• Use a smart thermostat that is programmable according to your household needs and can be controlled remotely through a smartphone. (check out southjerseygasmarketplace.com for instant rebates on smart thermostats)
• When using the oven, bake or heat several dishes at one time.
• For short cooking and reheating needs, use the microwave or toaster oven.
• Run the dishwasher only when it’s full, and air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
• Use space heaters wisely – they can increase your energy usage if they’re used in empty rooms or are supplementing another heat source.

… or away, this season:

• When no one will be home, set the thermostat to 65° F or lower.
• Turn down the water heater to or set it to vacation mode. (Also set a reminder to adjust the setting when you return home.)
• Make sure all interior lights are turned off; for lights on a security timer, use LED bulbs.
• Unplug appliances that use passive or “vampire” energy, such as coffeemakers, printers and rechargeable devices.
• If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed.
• Remember to turn off basement, garage and exterior lights; consider installing motion sensors or time-based devices to automate those lights.