Take a quick glance around your house. You may never have thought of it, but a lot of those appliances and devices around your home are having a negative impact on your energy bills by drawing power when not in use. Here’s a quick rundown on the appliances that you might either disconnect or replace with more efficient models to save money on your electric bill.
Top Energy Wasters
The top energy wasters in your home are likely to be as follows:
- Satellite or cable TV boxes
- Anything with a clock such as a DVD player or microwave
- Computers, modems and routers
- Surround-sound systems
- TVs, particularly larger screens and instant-on, including LED, LCD and rear projection
You can usually identify energy-wasting appliances or devices by these features: external power supply, they charge batteries, they maintain a continuous display, such as LED or a clock or they have a remote control. These appliances continue to drain power even when they are turned off.
Don’t Forget Major Appliances
Major appliances are obviously huge energy users, although other than the refrigerator, most are not drawing power 24/7. Still, whenever it’s time to replace a stove, washer, dryer or refrigerator, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s an Energy Star-rated model — guaranteed by the U.S. government to have been tested and rated for efficiency.
Stop Wasting Power
The amount of electricity that your appliances are using when turned off depends on the type of appliance and how many you have. But one of the best ways to limit power consumption is by simply unplugging your devices and appliances when not in use. Another method is to use a power strip or surge protector. By plugging all your devices and appliances into these, you can turn them off with one flip of the switch. It’s probably advisable to go ahead and spring for a real surge protector while you’re at it so you can protect your appliances from power surges.
To learn more about saving on your energy bills, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We serve Yuma and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about appliances and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
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