Giant inflatable snowmen, multi-colored LED light shows, the crackle of a TV screen fireplace – it’s safe to say the holidays look a little bit different than they did in generations past. While there’s still plenty of room for spending time with family and loved ones, many homeowners take the holiday season as an opportunity to dazzle the neighborhood with extravagant lighting displays.
Whether you’re going for the full “Clark Griswold” or putting up a few modest accents, integrating timer and energy controls into your holiday setup can provide instant energy savings and lasting convenience.
Keep these lighting and energy control ideas in mind as you get into the holiday spirit.
Inflatable Santa, Meet LED Rudolf
One of the easiest and most effective ways to simplify holiday lighting is to pair outdoor displays with a plug-in timer like the Intermatic HB880R.
With just a few minutes of prep work, the HB880R allows homeowners to create daily ON/OFF schedules for outdoor lights, inflatables, and more. No more trudging through the snow in your pajamas at the end of the night just to flip a switch.
Better still, the timer control includes a durable weatherproof enclosure and is compatible with CFL, Fluorescent, Incandescent, and LED luminaires. Once installed, homeowners can seamlessly swap out decorations throughout the year (e.g., Halloween, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc.).
Keep Cozy Indoors
Likewise, homeowners can avoid the nightly stretch to turn off the Christmas tree lights by connecting an indoor plug-in timer like the TN311 Mechanical Plug-in Timer or DT620 Digital Plug-in Timer.
The TN311 offers basic 24-hour programming, which allows homeowners to set multiple ON/OFF triggers throughout the day. Alternatively, the DT620 is an enhanced digital solution that makes it easy to set different ON/OFF schedules depending on the day of the week. Both options can be connected to a point-of-use surge protector to control multiple sets of lights at once, helping homeowners stay stress-free and cozy all winter long.
Protect Electronics and Smart Devices
With smartphones, HDTVs, video game consoles, and tablets at the top of holiday wish lists, it’s no surprise the average household plans to spend close to $1,500 on gifts this season. Keep valuable items in your home – and all the lovely electronic gifts you and your family may receive – protected from power quality issues for years to come with a whole home surge protection solution.
Designed to prevent costly damage caused by power surge events, Intermatic’s IG Series of Residential Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) uses state-of-the-art TPMOV® (Thermally Protected Metal Oxide Varistor) surge protection technology to eliminate potentially hazardous failure modes. As a result, you can enjoy your fun new gadgets without having to worry about their long-term safety.
Snowbirds in Flight
If sandy beaches and fruity drinks are more your style when the winter months approach, consider installing a 7-Day Programmable Timer, such as the Intermatic ST01 to add an extra level of security to your home while you’re away. Simply giving the illusion of activity within the home while it is unoccupied is a savvy way to deter criminal activity and bring a little peace of mind.
With the press of a button, the ST01’s Random Mode varies ON/OFF lighting schedules throughout the week to provide a lived-in feel even when nobody is home. This makes it easy to kick back and unwind as you soak up the sun out of town.
Ready to get started on your holiday lighting projects? Check out Intermatic’s selection of residential solutions to bring convenience and energy savings home.