It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and there are ways to celebrate it while saving some money. Use these expert tips from Hydro One to decorate your home safely and with energy efficiency in mind:
1. Before decorating your tree, test your lights and check all decorations and cords for signs of wear and tear.
2. Check to ensure all the lights, cords, plugs and sockets are CSA approved. Use outdoor or indoor lights appropriately.
3. Don’t sweep everything under the rug — keep electrical connections off the ground and avoid running cords under carpets or rugs.
4. Nails and tacks can damage extension cords or light strings. Prevent this by using eave clips or insulated staples.
5. Check to see whether other lights in the house dim when you plug in decorations, as they can overload the circuit and become a safety hazard.
6. Inflatable decorations are fun, but inflated energy bills are not. Choose decorations that are free standing or put the electric fan on a timer to only inflate decorations during certain times of the day.
7. Make the switch to LED lights, which use 80 per cent less energy than their incandescent counterparts. They also get bonus points for performing well indoors and outdoors.
For more tips visit Direct Energy’s website: https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/energy-efficiency/energy-efficient-holiday-decorations