1. You’re Using Things That Aren’t Turned Off
You probably have dozens of items that have power cords plugged in at any given time: laptops, TVs, coffee makers, alarm clocks, even electric toothbrushes. And while many of these devices aren’t turned on, they all suck up electricity all the time and cost you money. This is known as “phantom power” and it adds up to around 10 per cent of your total energy consumption.
The amount of phantom power consumed by appliances depends on how often you use them and the size of the appliance or device, but there are some of the biggest culprits:
Computers
Leaving your computer on sleep mode still consumes a lot of energy. If you want to save money and prevent the risk of an electrical fire, consider unplugging your computer when you aren’t using it.
Small kitchen appliances
While you should keep your fridge and stove plugged in, most small kitchen appliances like microwaves, toaster ovens, coffee makers, and food processors should be left unplugged when not in use. This will reduce phantom power usage and lower your electricity bill.
Entertainment devices
When you’re not watching your favourite show or playing a video game, turn off your television and stereo equipment to save money. Plugging these devices into a power strip with an on/off switch can help you easily cut down on energy waste.
Device chargers
Many people are guilty of keeping their phone chargers plugged in even when they’re not charging their phones. This is a big mistake because most device chargers draw up to 50 watts of power when they are plugged in, even if they aren’t supplying any juice and cause overheating and potential failure.
So while your daughter is right to point out the many things in her home that should be unplugged, you need to consider the bigger picture and what it will really mean for your electricity bill. It might seem insignificant to leave a few items plugged in, but over a year that will add up and can even raise your bills significantly. The best way to save money and prevent unnecessary environmental impact is to develop the habit of always unplugging all appliances and electronic devices when not in use.
2. You’re Using Things That Aren’t Energy Efficient
When it comes to the biggest energy wasters at home, appliances like air conditioning and heating systems usually take the top spot. They’re constantly working around the clock to keep our homes comfortable, and they often use a significant amount of energy to do so. Then there’s lighting, which seems relatively innocuous but can still inflate your electricity bill significantly when inefficient bulbs are used or lights remain unnecessarily turned on.
But the truth is that a lot of our energy waste is much more subtle. Many households now have more and more electronics that need to be plugged in, from computers to TVs, from blenders to coffee grinders, and even things like cordless telephones and baby monitors. It’s also a common habit to leave items plugged in, even when they aren’t being used. This can be a big mistake because it causes your devices to continue drawing power even when they aren’t being turned on, which is called “vampire draw.” The Department of Energy estimates that standby power accounts for up to 10% of household energy use.
You can avoid this by simply unplugging your devices when you aren’t using them. Getting into this simple habit will save you money and help reduce your overall energy usage.
3. You’re Using Things That Aren’t Energy-Efficient
The idea of saving energy may make you think of turning off lights when leaving a room, or putting the dishwasher on only one cycle. These are certainly good practices, and they’ll help. But there’s much more to doing your part for the environment than just swapping in energy-saving light bulbs and running your washing machine on a different schedule. The most important thing you can do is to reduce the amount of electricity you use when it’s not needed. This cuts down on waste, and also ensures that electricity can be provided to your household even during periods of high demand, such as during summer heat waves or after a snowstorm.
You probably already know that leaving a lamp plugged in doesn’t really use a lot of energy, but there are many devices around the house that draw energy from a power outlet — even though they’re turned off! This is called phantom power, or standby draw. It can be a big drain on your electricity bill.
For example, a television that has instant-on capabilities can still draw a small trickle of energy to keep the screen from getting dark. This can add up to a few watts each hour that you’re watching TV, which can cost you quite a bit of money over time.
The same goes for things like computers, game consoles, hair dryers, blenders, and even kitchen appliances like a rice cooker or espresso maker. The easiest way to cut down on this type of electricity consumption is by using a power strip that you can turn off with the flip of a switch when you’re done using it. It will become a habit that saves energy over time, and keeps your electronics safe from potential damage when they’re plugged in all the time.
Using less energy isn’t just good for the environment, it’s a critical tool in our fight against climate change. Cutting down on the amount of energy we use will minimize the amount of electricity that is drawn from traditional power plants that produce harmful greenhouse gases and air pollution. It also limits the amount of electricity on the grid at any given time, minimizing congestion and stress and preventing outages.
4. You’re Using Things That Aren’t Energy-Efficient
Among the biggest consumers of energy in homes are air conditioning and heating systems, which work continuously to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. Also significant are refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines, which are used frequently. However, the little things can add up too: lights (which should be turned off in daylight), electronic devices that remain plugged in, phone chargers and hair dryers, clocks and rice cookers, and many other items that use a few watts of power even when they aren’t being used.
The best way to examine how your appliances and electronics consume electricity is by using an electricity monitor meter, such as a Kill A Watt meter. These are available for less than $30 at home improvement stores and can be very eye-opening. For example, it may reveal that your DVR set-top box from the cable or satellite provider is consuming 20 watts of energy while ostensibly “turned off”!
You can significantly reduce the amount of electricity your home uses by examining what you have plugged in and making a habit of unplugging everything after you use it. Although individual devices and appliances don’t use much energy when they’re plugged in, collectively they can suck tons of electricity, and your money, from your home.