Can you be festive and frugal?
Absolutely, especially with these holiday energy-saving tips.
Entertaining tips
- When using your oven, check cooking progress by looking through the window.
Opening the oven door for even a few seconds lowers the temperature inside by
as much as 25°F.
- If your stove doesn't have a window, try not to open the door to check your
food until it's as close to the expected finish time as possible.
- Turn off your oven several minutes before your food is fully cooked. As long
as the door remains closed, enough heat will be stored inside to finish cooking
your meal.
- If you use glass or ceramic pans, try turning your oven temperature down 25°F.
Your dish may cook just as quickly.
- When cooking on your stove top, match the size of the pan to the heating element.
More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost.
Heating tips
- Set your thermostat between 66°F and 68°F, a comfortable
range for most people. For every 1°F you lower your thermostat, you may
reduce your energy use by 1-3 percent.
- Start the heating season with a new furnace filter, and clean or
replace it monthly to keep your furnace running efficiently.
- Setting your hot water heater to 120°F can cut your water heating costs by
10 percent.
- Open-hearth fireplaces draw heated air from your home, sending it
and possibly your energy budget up the chimney. If you use your
fireplace, install a snug-fitting set of glass doors and crack open a nearby
window. Doing so reduces the amount of heated interior air drawn into the fireplace
and improves efficiency by up to 20 percent.
