Energy vampires are not only scary, they’re expensive! While they may not want to suck your blood they certainly want to suck your wallet dry. Staking them in the heart won’t work, so below you’ll find expert tips on getting rid of energy vampires for good.
What are energy vampires?
Energy vampires are devices that are left plugged in when they are not in use. Have you ever looked at the label on your hair dryer or coffee maker? They say to unplug when not in use. This is to ensure that they’re not drawing energy, but also because they can be a fire hazard!
What are some examples of energy vampires?
Here’s a list of items that are plugged in that might be sucking the money right out of your wallet.
- cell phone chargers
- chargers for tablets, e-readers, and other devices
- computer monitors
- printers
- video game consoles
- radios
- kitchen appliances
How much are we really wasting, though?
The EPA estimates that the average U.S. household spends about $100 per year to keep power immediately available to devices that are not being actively used. In the US that means we spend more than $10 billion in energy that is completely wasted. Whoa.
We can do better, says Suzanne Jones, Interim President and CEO of the Association of Energy Services Professionals. She offers simple solutions to Centsible Life readers.
Use smart power strips
to reduce the flow of electricity to devices that are not being actively used
Replace incandescent bulbs with LED light bulbs that last for years AND save energy
Get a smart shower head that senses when the water is hot, and stops the flow until you are ready to get in. (check out these Evolve showerheads)
Plug your devices into a smart outlets that allows you to program and monitor use via an app
Check your water heater savings, quickly and easily. A simple reduction of 10 degrees could save you as much as $10/month.
Use a smart thermostat and program it. It will learn your schedule and adjust to help you save. The Nest thermostat is a popular option, and I’ve reviewed the Honeywell Smart thermostat here.
Ask your utility for a home energy audit – many offer no or low-cost audits.
“These are not expensive solutions,” Jones said. “We estimate that by spending about $500 on energy efficiency devices that are easy to buy, install and use, that more than $1,800 per year in energy savings can be generated.”
For more information visit www.aesp.org. AESP provided the information for this post.
Kelly
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