Don’t Let Energy Vampires Suck the Heat Out of Your Home This Winter
Just about every home has that one coveted spot, close to the door, where it’s so easy and convenient to plug in and charge a cell phone before grabbing it and running out the door the next day. In fact, cell phones may be huddled around several easily accessible outlets in your home.
The only problem is, once our phones are fully charged, we usually let them stay plugged in, continuing to draw energy. This is why cell phones – as well as computers, cameras, video games and other electrical devices – are called “energy vampires.” It seems harmless enough to leave them in standby mode, but these devices slowly but surely drain energy, just like a vampire. (The notion of energy vampires, by the way, does not extend to clock displays, timers, remote controls and other devices that require power to continue running.)
Tips For Reducing Unnecessary Energy Consumption
Assailing these energy vampires with a wooden stake or a silver bullet would be overdoing it, but you can stop them dead in their tracks by:
- Unplugging cell phone, chargers and power adapters when you’re not using them.
- Purchasing power strips and plugging computer equipment into one strip and home entertainment system components into another. This setup will allow you turn off all of the devices with one switch. Take this good idea one step further by consolidating all of the family’s cell phones into one power strip.
- Sticking with only Energy Star certified electronics and appliances, which set the highest standard for energy efficiency.
- Setting your computer and monitor to revert to “save” mode when you’re not using them
- Assessing electronics for those special but sometimes unnecessary features that may require extra electricity for little gain. If you don’t need them, opt for a device that doesn’t have these useless features.
Like all good habits, these ideas may take some time to adapt to. But as our lives become ever more dependent on technology, it’s better to start them before you need a silver bullet to control the influence of energy vampires on your monthly power bill.
For help along the way, please contact us at Gulf Coast Air Systems. We provide superior HVAC services to Tampa and the surrounding area.
