Beware Of Energy Vampires In Your Home: Energy-Saving Tips From Your Electrician Near Me | Florence, SC

If you are looking for ways to save energy in your home in Florence, SC, you need to know about energy vampires. And while these vampires won’t suck your blood, they will significantly increase your energy bill.

Below, your electrician near me in South Carolina, has identified some of the energy vampires you can find in your home. It’s time you get ready to go vampire hunting!

What Is an Energy Vampire?

Energy vampires are devices and appliances that continue drawing electricity even after they have been shut off. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that energy vampires can cost the average household up to $200 yearly.

Why Do They Suck Energy?

Every cord that is plugged into an outlet is drawing some amount of power. Some devices do not truly shut down when you push the OFF button. Devices like TVs always wait to receive a command and start up the second you put them on.

Others keep working in the background while in sleep or standby mode. They are busy searching for and downloading updates, uploading data to remote servers, and performing system checks. While this constant connectivity makes most modern appliances smart, they come at a cost reflected in your energy bill.

Common Energy Vampires in Your Home

Modern households have a lot of devices and appliances that are secret energy vampires. A simple way to spot them is to look for any device that shows a tiny LED light or display when not in use.

Devices controlled through voice commands are another energy sucker as they simply sit there, waiting for your command.

Entertainment Devices

TVs, cable boxes, stereo systems, and most entertainment devices are the Count Draculas of energy vampires. They consume the most energy on standby, and sometimes the OFF electrical load is not much different from their ON load.

This is something only your electrician near me in your city can tell you. Manufacturers are not required to state standby power consumption on their products.

Kitchen Appliances

Yes, the convenient coffee maker with an automated brewing system can be programmed and has a LED display is on this list. Together with the microwave, toaster, oven, gas range, and other appliances can cost you an extra $10 to 20 on your energy costs every year.

Hair Dryers, Shavers, and Electric Toothbrushes

Did you know that you could save money during your morning routine? Be it electric shavers, hair dryers, curling irons, or electric toothbrushes, as long as they are plugged in, they will continue consuming electricity even when they are off.

Phone Chargers

This should go without saying, but this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this minor but probably most important of all the devices mentioned here. Unplug that charger. It’s not the size but the cumulative effect of small things.

Desktops and Laptops

Remember when people believed shutting down a computer costs a lot of energy? You can save up to $20 if you shut down just one device. Don’t forget to unplug the laptop charger while you’re at it, as these are another source of wasted energy.

Printer and Fax machines

Printers are constantly on the alert. Simply plugging them out when not in use will put them to sleep.

Space Heaters

These devices can add a nice touch of warmth and comfort to a bedroom. But your electrician near me in Florence would probably advise you to stay away from them.

Space heaters consume tremendous amounts of energy and cause 44 percent of home heating fires yearly and account for the majority of injuries and deaths caused by these fires.

How to Get Rid of Energy Vampires

Simple. Unplug every device that is not in use. But with 20+ appliances to keep track of, this is simply unrealistic. Your electrician near me in Florence, SC has a few tips for you.

Use Power Strips

Power strips are an extension with a switch that can be toggled on and off. Any plugged-in devices will go off. This is a good idea for your TV, office devices, and kitchen appliances.

If you need something more convenient, you can get power strips with advanced features that automatically turn your devices on or off.

A word of caution: Power strips and extensions should be used carefully. It would help if you never overload a power strip or plug multiple strips into one another.

Extensions are the cause of around 3,300 home fires every year. If you use too many power cords, have your electrician near me in your locality install additional outlets.

Get a Timed Power Switch

These devices plug into an outlet and will shut off the electric current to your appliance according to a pre-set schedule. Some timed power switches can be wall-mounted like an outlet and need to be installed by an electrician near me in your town.

Install Outlets with a Wall Switch

Your electrician near me in South Carolina can install outlets that have a switch. Simply toggling the switch will either turn on the electric current or stop it.

Upgrade to Energy Saving Appliances

Unfortunately, the appliances that use the most energy are the ones you cannot unplug. Appliances like the refrigerator, water heater, furnace, and HVAC system need a constant power supply.

When replacing them, have your electrician near me in Florence install ENERGY STAR-certified products. These appliances are proven to be energy-saving and cost-efficient.

Looking for More Ways to Save Energy? Mister Sparky of Florence Knows All About It

The best time to start saving energy is now. And who knows more about saving energy than your trusted electrician near me in Florence, SC? Mister Sparky of Florence has been in the electrical industry for several years and has garnered a reputation for excellent customer service and reliability.

We value our customers and can guarantee 100 percent satisfaction with our work. If you need help hunting energy vampires or need other electrical services, give Mister Sparky of Florence a call today.

Photo By gwmullis at istock