TXU Energy is giving four Texas families energy-efficient holiday decorations – and sharing energy efficiency tips with all consumers.
“It’s such a pleasure to deliver our Holiday Cents program to families in need, and it’s a great opportunity to help all Texans make sense of their monthly energy bill,” said Kim Campbell, senior manager for customer advocacy. “Luckily, there are easy steps we can take all year to reduce our spending by managing how much energy we use.”
Here are a few holiday decorating tips TXU Energy is delivering this year, along with ideas on how to take advantage of them even after the holidays:
| Holiday |
Post-holiday |
| Use LEDs – An entire strand of 50 LED lights uses 4 watts of energy, while one traditional C9 holiday bulb uses 6 watts of energy. That’s 33 percent less energy for more lights. |
Convert indoor and outdoor lights to LED and compact fluorescent bulbs. |
| Use mirrors and other reflective decorations to heighten the effects of fewer lights. |
Take advantage of free natural light by opening drapes and blinds. Angle vertical blinds up to bounce light off ceilings for a greater effect. |
Use timers to ensure that indoor and outdoor lights are on just when needed.
|
Use timers to prevent appliances and electronics from consuming power even in the OFF position. |
In addition to those decorating tips, TXU Energy has more energy-saving suggestions for families:
Cooking
- Use slow cookers, toaster ovens and microwaves as much as possible. These smaller devices require less energy and do not add extra heat and humidity to our homes.
- Keep the oven door closed when using a full-sized oven. Opening the oven door allows heat to escape and requires more energy to bring the oven back to full temperature.
- Match the pan and pot size to the stovetop burner size. A burner that is larger than the container wastes energy.
House Sealing
- Purchase and install wall plate insulators. These inexpensive inserts prevent heat from going out in the winter and from coming in during the summer.
- Seal windows and doors with weather stripping.
- Consider reflective window treatments.
TXU Energy will deliver these tips, as well as holiday decorations, to families selected by social service agency partners in Tyler, Waco, Sherman and Corpus Christi. This is the sixth year that TXU Energy has teamed up with social service agencies from different areas of Texas to provide this support for families in need.
About TXU Energy
TXU Energy is a market-leading competitive retail electricity provider, powering the lives of more Texans than any other retailer. TXU Energy offers a variety of innovative products and solutions, allowing both its residential and business customers to choose options that best meet their needs, including exceptional customer service, competitively priced electricity service plans, innovative energy efficiency options, renewable energy programs and other electricity-related products and services. Visit txu.com for more information about TXU Energy. REP #10004.