Safe and Energy Efficient Halloween Decorating Tips
Halloween decorations can be one of the most fun things about fall. Whether you lean towards giant skeletons and jump scares or cutesy pumpkins and fall flowers, there are important tips to follow to keep the fun safe. This is especially true if you welcome trick or treaters to the house on the 31st. For all our Georgia gas customers, we have some great energy efficiency tips, too. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go to the graveyard to dig up these tips; we’ve done all the work for you.
3 Best Safety Tips for Your Spooky Decorations
Just like shopping for Georgia gas companies, it always pays to be careful. If you go all out with spooky decorations, there’s a chance you get so caught up in the fun, you forget about some essential safety concerns. Let’s run down three ways to keep things safe for you and the trick or treaters.
- Lights. Add some lights to your pathway. This helps trick or treaters easily see their way. Plus, with the days growing shorter, this keeps you safer, too. Bonus tip: if you take the kids out for Halloween, bring a couple flashlights!
- Reflective tape. This is a great tool to bring some extra attention to steps along your pathway, up to your door, and even for uneven cracks along the driveway and elsewhere. Bonus tip: stick some reflective tape to the back of jackets, costumes, and candy buckets for extra visibility.
- Outdoor extension cords. If your decorations rely on electricity, make sure you only use extension cords rated for outdoor use. Also, follow instructions to be sure you don’t plug too much into one cord. Finally, never run cords across pathways where they become a tripping hazard.
4 Best Energy Efficiency Tricks for Halloween Decorations
In addition to being safe with your spooky outdoor décor, let’s also save you a bit of money!
- Go solar. Pathway luminaries and other outdoor decorations are available with solar power so you won’t be consuming any extra electricity and running up your energy bills.
- LED. Upgrade your fun holiday lights and regular outdoor lightbulbs with LEDs. Energy Star products can be up to 75% more efficient and last 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, according to the Department of Energy.
- Timers. Anything you plug in should also have a timer, so it isn’t running longer than is practical. If you don’t want to spend money on timers, set alarms on your phone to remind yourself to turn decorations on and off.
- Heat. Even if you’re expecting a chilly Halloween night, don’t blast the heat. Because you’re opening the door frequently, you’ll be wasting a lot of energy. Instead, turn the heat down, choose a cozy costume, and fully close your door between trick or treaters. Up the efficiency with new weather stripping around the front door!
(Trick or) Treat Yourself to a Cheap Gas Rate
In addition to the efficiency tips above, a great way to lower energy costs is with a new gas plan. Rates are cheap right now! Furthermore, snagging a sweet natural gas plan with a fixed rate today sets you up to shop in the fall shoulder months for years to come. Shop and compare plans now at https://www.georgiagassavings.com.