The holidays can bring lots of joy to your family. Whether it’s travelling to relatives around the country and the world or if you are hosting big celebrations. Before hosting dozens of family members for a meal or an extended stay, it’s important to check in with your electrical system and make sure its up for the task.
Lighting is always the first decoration for the holiday, whether they are outside or decorating trees, mantels, staircases and more. Make sure to use the proper lights for inside or outside and make sure surge protectors are in place.
With the added family in your home, it isn’t just the lights that add to the stress on your electrical system. Hair dryers, vacuums, laptops and chargers galore are plugged in all over your house. Make sure your guests understand they need to share the power and try not to overload the system. If you have an older home with older wiring, be sure to check in with your electrician before this big celebration ends up in the dark.
Spreading out the decorations and everyday appliances will help to not overload the circuits. Distributing power evenly can prevent tripping the breakers and can prevent fires. Power strips and surge protectors can help.
When cooking meals for many, take a look at your kitchen appliances. Coffee makers, toasters, microwaves and stoves all consume energy. If possible, use energy efficient settings on this appliances. Consider using slow cookers for smaller dishes since they require less energy. Unplug unused appliances to alleviate some of the pressure on the system. This precaution can be used outside of the kitchen too for things like phone chargers.
The biggest offenders is your heating system and your hot water heater. Of course, both of those are necessary. Ask your guests to take showers instead of baths which uses less hot water. You can also turn the heat down while your ovens are on. Both the stovetop and the oven create a lot of heat that can help heat the house without the heating system overworking.
If you are able, don’t hand wash dishes but run a full dishwasher. You can also stop the dishwasher before the heated dry cycle and just let the dishes air dry.
If the weather turns very cold, be careful with space heaters and electrical blankets. Only use them when they are in occupied areas or actively being used. They consume a significant amount of electricity.
With guests in your home, it can never hurt to look around the house for exposed wires and uncovered outlets. You may have guests of different ages who aren’t used to your home and don’t know of hazards that you have become accustomed to.
These small changes can not only protect your home they can also save you money. Heating and electric bills tend to add up during winter months, not to mention all the added money you are spending on gifts and food. Why not try to save a little!
The holidays can be a wonderful time of year, but it is worth taking a few extra precautions to ensure that your guests are happy and your home is up to the task of entertaining.