Win the War Against Energy Sucking Devices In Your Home
One can find about 20 appliances in the average home. Think about how much electricity your home devices are using right now (even when turned off). How many more devices do households of today host in comparison to a few decades ago?
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Device Deluge
We now have dishwashers, microwaves, coffee makers, computers, DVR’s, iPods, smart phones, and a myriad of other electronic devices hanging out of in-home sockets, sucking up energy and electric-bill payments at the same time. These types of appliances account for about 10% of the average home’s daily energy use.
United States homes now have three times as many appliances as they did 30 years ago. Despite of human advances, we’ve become very dependent on devices and the electricity powering them. Over the last decades, energy used by residential appliances and electronics has nearly doubled.
While some eat vegetarian, ride the train to work, and find other ways to live ‘green’ and be efficient, many are reliant and abusive of in-home electronic usage and electric power.
The Main Culprits
The ‘main culprits’ of electricity abuse are around us each day, draining our home’s electricity and adding to our bill. Consider not only turning off, but unplugging the following devices when not in use:
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
- Televisions
- DVD players
- Stereos
- Coffeemakers
- Toasters
- iPods
One can add cable boxes, computer modems, and others to the list, but it’s understood that rebooting systems can be a hassle. However, consider trading idle time for a few added dollars in your pocket and energy saved in being more vigilant.
In-Home Energy Efficiency Tips
Modifying in-home device usage is being energy efficient, but one can do better. Consider the following methods of advanced in-home efficiency.
- Seek website counsel. A number of sites help homeowners analyze and measure the energy usage in their homes in real time. Owners can crunch numbers daily, realizing better methods of consumption and where energy is expended.
- A number of manufacturers are engineering ‘smart meters’ for the home, a two-way communication between home device and power grids. Imagine your dishwasher knowing the best times of day to run and turn off, saving money and the power grid of peak exhaustion.
- Programmable thermostats facilitate efficiency, allowing homeowners to manage when in-home heating and cooling systems run. Rather than leave heating or cooling systems running throughout an empty house, owners may regulate operation.
- Do you need the lights so bright in the room? What about implementing LED lighting, which will improve energy-efficient levels. It’s a reality in a number of conservationists’ homes.
Stop the Draining and Complaining
Was your last energy bill a bit expensive? How concerned are you about the environment and your contribution to conservation efforts? Stop draining your home with energy sucking devices and stop complaining about high energy bills. Start being mindful of what devices are turned off, what is unplugged, and what else you can do to do better in saving energy and resources in your home.
Author byline: Yogesh Mankani is an energy consultant. His articles mainly appear on personal finance and money saving blogs where he enjoys sharing his insights. Visit the Texas Electricity Providers link for more information on saving money and energy.
