The holiday season can be a huge energy drain—and not just the kind that leaves you dead on your feet. Getting ready to host friends and family for a Thanksgiving dinner can burn through a lot of energy in a short period of time. Consider these tips while preparing your home for the holidays.
- Turn down the heat – If you’re cooking for large crowds over the holidays, you most likely have your oven running for extended periods at a time, as well as several stovetop burners. All that heat will actually contribute to the air temperature, and with extra people milling around, it will quickly become quite toasty inside! You can save energy by turning your furnace down several degrees without noticing a difference in warmth.
- Use your microwave – Did you make some dishes ahead of time that need reheating? Do all your dishes have to be cooked on the stove, or can some be microwaved? Use your microwave as much as possible throughout the day—it uses significantly less energy than either your stove or the oven.
- Load up the dishwasher – Believe it or not, your dishwasher uses much less energy and water than washing your dishes by hand—not to mention saving you a lot of time that could be spent mingling with family and friends. Scrape leftover scraps into the trash (don’t rinse) and stick dishes straight into the dishwasher.
- Make an efficient cooking schedule – Look over your recipes ahead of time to figure out which dishes bake at similar temperatures. If your oven is large enough, there’s no reason you can’t bake two or three dishes at the same time. It will save you energy by cutting down on oven use, and you’ll get more enjoyment out of the day by spending less time running back and forth to the kitchen.
- Prep your furnace – You can ensure that your furnace runs efficiently and that your air quality is up to par for your guests by doing some simple furnace maintenance before the holidays. Make sure you change your furnace filter, and dust thoroughly so that there are less dust particles being circulated through the ductwork.
Bonfe wishes you a happy Thanksgiving holiday! If you run into any troubles on the big day, call 651-621-8821 or 612-206-3097 for immediate emergency service.
