Interesting Facts About Diverse Holidays

Here are just some of the holy days celebrated in many homes and communities across Canada this time of year:

• Christmas is December 25, but many Canadians of Central and Eastern European origin celebrate the holiday earlier in December or on January 7.


• Hanukkah (December 8 to 16, 2012; November 27 to December 5, 2013) is celebrated by people of the Jewish faith.


• Kwanzaa (December 26 to January 1) is marked by many people of African origin.


• Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day in early December.


• Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday is celebrated by those of the Sikh faith in January 2013.


• Eid-ul-Adha, the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, is the most important feast of Islam and was celebrated in October 2012. There is also Eid-al-Fitr (August) and the Islamic New Year Al-Hijira in November. Ramadan will next be observed in July 2013.


• Diwali, the festival of lights (celebrated by those of the Sikh and Hindu faiths) will next be observed in November 2013.

Stay Eco-Smart While Entertaining

Here is the last post in our series an energy efficient holiday season! Today we will focus on keeping your home appliances running efficiently while entertaining and baking.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the oven closed and use your oven light to check cooking progress. Your oven loses heat every time you open it to check on your baking.
• Wash dishes by hand, but don't keep the water flowing. Fill the sink once and rinse your dishes in cool water.
• Wait until you have a full load to run your dishwasher.
• Cook smart – plan out that meal to make the most of oven time. Turkey roasting at 400 degrees? Choose sides that can go in the oven at the same temperature.
• Embrace leftovers – ask everyone to bring a reusable container to fill with leftovers to take home.
• Make it easy – put out clearly labeled trash, compost and recycling containers so your guests don’t have to guess what goes where.

Vacation tips

• Unplug your appliances while you are away to stop them from draining unnecessary energy
• Turn your heat down (but not off!) and shut the doors of unused rooms
• Check if your water heater has a vacation setting and use it while you are out of town

Most of all enjoy spending time with your family and loved ones and enjoy the last week of 2012!

The Season for Giving

Tis the season for giving! Here at National Home Services, we are gathering donations of toys and gifts to support the Agincourt Community Services Association. We are thrilled to think of the smiles and joy these toys will bring when they are delivered.

During this time of giving, we try our best to remember to be green whenever possible. We are delivering our donations unwrapped but, one of the biggest areas of holiday waste is in packaging and wrapping.

Check out our tips to reduce the amount of packaging and wrapping you use.

Try out reusable wrapping ideas, like cloth bags, baskets and boxes.

Recycle your newspapers, brown paper bags or Christmas flyers into wrapping paper.

Instead of sending Christmas cards, send e-cards to your friends and loved ones.

Bring your own bags when shopping. Keep them in your purse or car so they are nearby when needed.

Think about alternative gifts that require no wrapping, like theatre tickets, museum passes, or gift certificates.

Give homemade gifts like these Gifts in a Jar. Check here for more recipes.

If everyone in Canada wrapped just three gifts in reused paper or gift bags, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 hockey rinks!

Be Bright- Light Smart!

Continuing on our theme of energy efficient holiday lighting, be bright and light smart this holiday season.

Avoid leaving indoor and outdoor decorative lights on all day and night. Put your seasonal lights on a timer to enjoy in the evening and to lower your energy consumption. Not only will you save energy, automatic timers remove the hassle of plugging and unplugging your lights every night. They also make sure you never miss a night and forget to turn on the lights. Set lights to switch on at 7 pm during weekdays to avoid electricity peak hours and remember to turn off holiday lighting when you leave home for extended periods of time.

Candles can set a beautiful mood at holiday events and family gatherings. Get creative! Placing mirrors behind a group of candles or underneath a centerpiece reflects the light and creates a warm glow.

With these energy efficient tips, enjoy an eco-friendly holiday season that is merry and bright!

Updating outdoor holiday lighting to ENERGY STAR LEDs could save you over $50 per year for the average sized household!

Light up your life!

Did you know Energy-Star qualified decorative lights consume 70% less energy than conventional light strands?

To become Energy Star qualified, products must meet stringent efficiency and quality requirements. Ditch your old lights and invest in Energy Star qualified LEDs. They can last up to 10 times longer, and have a 3-year warranty, saving you in the long term. They also stay cool to the touch, making your lights safer and reducing fire risks. For more information, check out Natural Resource Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency information on energy efficient lighting.

Stay tuned for more tips on having an energy efficient holiday season throughout the month of December!

The amount of energy consumed by just 1 seven-watt old-style incandescent bulb could power 140 LEDs!

Want to ramp up your home's efficiency?

Now that the weather in Ontario is getting cooler, and the season is rapidly transforming, it's time to take a look at your home's energy efficiency. Becoming informed about your home's basic heating and cooling components can help you understand where and how you can improve your home. Little things add up to big things when it comes to energy conservation.

If you want to ramp up your home’s efficiency and save money, try these energy conserving tips: 

1. Make sure all your home equipment is functioning at maximum efficiency. Even 10-year-old systems can be 20% to 40% less efficient than new models. 

2. Always opt for ENERGY STAR qualified units when replacing home equipment.

3. If you are replacing windows, opt for triple-glazed with low-E coatings and argon between the panes. 

4. Cut heating costs up to 5% by changing furnace filters every one to three months.

5. Switching from a standard hot water system to a tankless type can slash $150 or more from annual costs for a family of four.

6. A heat recovery ventilator or other ventilation system is an essential investment for humidity control and healthy indoor air.

7. When using a dishwasher, Ontario Power Authority suggests air drying your dishes, using the air-dry setting (or energy saver) option, or just leaving the door open.

8. Check the seal on your refrigerator or freezer. Close the door on a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out easily, replace the gasket. 

9. To maximize the life of CFL bulbs, leave them on at least 15 minutes, but then turn them off when you leave the room.

Welcome!

Hi All.  

Ernie here, National Home Services' go to guy when thinking green! I am a self proclaimed energy expert here to give you all the goods when it comes to saving energy, reducing your carbon footprint, and saving money on your family's energy expenses. My mission is to keep all valued National Home Services customers up to date on eco-trends, products and promotions, and green tips; making you a savvier and more efficient energy user.     

Keep it green,  

Ernie