(Media release from Georgia Power):
With Thanksgiving days away and many family and friends gathering together this year, Georgia Power is sharing simple tips and free tools to make small changes around the home that can deliver big savings this holiday season.
Simple energy efficiency tips that you can take advantage of when cooking and hosting guests whether you own or rent your home include:
- Maximize Your Oven – Keep your oven door shut as your turkey cooks this Thanksgiving. Even opening the door for a glimpse can set the temperature back, causing your oven to go into overdrive and work harder. Cook multiple dishes at one time in the oven, if possible.
- Use Glass & Ceramic Baking Dishes – These dishes retain heat better than metal, allowing you to reduce the oven temperature by up to 25°F.
- Utilize Your Stove – Many of your holiday favorites can be made on the stove top, resulting is less energy consumed. Remember to keep your pots and pans covered to prevent heat loss and to keep your burners clean.
- Save with the Microwave – The microwave can be used to quickly and efficiently heat or reheat many items – it also uses much less energy than a conventional oven.
- Fry Flameless – If you fry your turkey, consider a multi-function electric turkey fryer, which involves no flames and can be used indoors, or taken outside for the day to help keep heat out of the kitchen. Always follow all manufacturer instructions when using a gas or electric fryer.
- Thinking Thermostats – Install a smart programmable thermostat that automatically adjusts the home’s temperature settings when you are away from the house and save up to $100 a year in energy costs. Keeping your home at 68°F in the cooler months will also help you save money on your monthly bill. If you’ll have a crowded house for Thanksgiving with stoves and ovens in use, you can often lower the thermostat by several degrees and still remain comfortable.
Georgia Power also offers several energy efficiency programs that residential customers can take advantage of to improve the efficiency of their homes to better manage energy usage and power bills.
While some of the programs offer no-cost tools and resources or rebates to any customers, others are tailored to income-qualified customers, and even provide no-cost home improvements to improve comfort and efficiency year-round for customers least able to afford efficiency upgrades. Visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/EnergyEfficiency to learn more.
