Stay safe during holiday decorating and entertaining
This time of year you're sure to see your neighbors dragging plastic Santas out of the garage, cramming Christmas trees through the doorways and unsnarling strings of holiday lights. Decorating can be a hassle, but with a little planning, you can create a beautiful display.
Look for LED holiday bulbs. The average holiday light uses 5 to 7 watts per bulb, and some older strings use up to 10 watts per bulb. The new LED lights use less than half a watt per bulb. They're also shatterproof, water resistant and safe to touch.
Don't like the look of LEDs? Downsize to miniature lights. They use up to 70 percent less energy.
It's not just the holiday lights that run up your energy bill: It's also all the cooking. Sure, it's fun to peek at the pies as they cook, but the temperature inside your oven drops as much as 25 degrees every time you open the door.
A load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. Don't forget to use the energy-saving cycles whenever you can.