Now that October is here and as Halloween starts to creep up on us, spooky creatures like ghosts, zombies, and vampires will start to appear. But since they are make-believe, the real creatures to watch out for are the hidden "energy vampires" lurking in your home.
In this
article, we will discuss what energy vampires are, where they hide in your
home, and how to capture them.
What are Energy Vampires?
Energy
vampires refer to appliances and electronics that use electricity even though
they are turned off and not in use but are still plugged into the wall. Just as
vampires suck the blood out of their prey, energy vampires suck the energy out of your
electrical outlets.
Even worse,
according to the Department of Energy, energy vampires further haunt you by
adding an extra 10% onto your electricity bill each month.
That's why
it's important to be able to track down and capture the energy vampires in your
home so that they don't continue to haunt your energy consumption and utility
bill all year long.
Where Do Energy Vampires Hide?
Believe it
or not, your home could be full of energy-sucking vampires. Right this second,
they could be silently sucking away your energy and money without you even
realizing it. They can lurk all throughout your home—in your kitchen, living
room, bedroom, office, bathroom, and even in your garage.
The most
common energy vampires hidden in homes include:
● Computers
● Computer equipment (modems, routers, printers,
etc.)
● Televisions
● Television boxes
● Surround sound systems
● Video game consoles
● Cell phone and tablet chargers
● Appliances with a digital clock (microwaves,
ovens, coffee makers, etc.)
● DVD players and stereos
● Hair dryers and straighteners
● Drills and electric screwdrivers
How to Capture Energy Vampires
1) Unplug appliances and electronics that you don't use often.
For those
spare appliances and electronics that tend to set idle, you should consider
unplugging them completely until they are actually being used. This way, you're
not allowing these pesky vampires to feed off your energy and money
unnecessarily.
2) Invest in smart power strips for convenience and efficiency.
Since it's
inconvenient to unplug each individual appliance and electronic device after
you're done using it, you can instead incorporate power strips throughout your
home for your own benefit.
However,
you want to make sure you invest in a smart power strip over a traditional
power strip. While they both allow you to plug in multiple appliances and
electronics into one electrical outlet, they differ when it comes to your
energy use and monthly electricity bill. That's because with a traditional
power strip, as long as the power strip is turned on, the electronic devices
that are plugged into it will continue to use electricity even when they are in
standby mode.
By using
smart power strips, you get the convenience and efficiency of having the power
strip detect when your electronic devices are in standby mode so that it turns
off the power supply for you. These smart power strips will keep energy
vampires at bay and will reduce your utility bill each month.
3) Use smart meters and home monitoring systems to track down energy vampires.
To detect energy vampires in your home, you can invest in smart devices and home monitoring systems that inform you about the energy use of your electronic devices. For instance, a watt-meter allows you to tell if energy is being wasted even for your appliances that are turned off and not in use.
4)
Purchase low standby devices.
The next
time you purchase new appliances or electronics, you should consider making an
investment in Energy Star-certified products. When these products go into
standby mode, they consume less energy overall than your typical device, saving
you money in the long run and from energy vampires.
5)
Schedule a home electrical inspection to capture your energy vampires
Whether you
just purchased a new home, made home renovations, or installed updated
appliances, it's important to have an electrical inspection done to ensure safety and comfort in your
home, so you can rest assured that no unforeseen circumstances will arise.
And this will help to ensure that you keep energy vampires out of your home.
Choose Estes Services for Your Electrical
Repairs This Fall
At
Estes Services, it's our job to keep you and your family safe and comfortable
this fall season. Whether you need a fall home electrical inspection, are seeking an electrical
outlet repair, or
thinking about making an upgrade to a new electrical system, our team of Atlanta electrical experts is here to help.
We provide electrical services in the greater Atlanta
area, including Alpharetta, Buckhead, Decatur, Druid
Hills, Dunwoody, Fayetteville, Johns
Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta, Midtown, Peachtree
City, Roswell, Sandy
Springs,
and Virginia Highland.
Fall
into savings! Right now, we are offering fall specials
and coupons. Plus, great maintenance membership plans to keep your whole home safe and healthy.
Schedule
service with
us today. It's that Easy; it's Estes!
