The Spooky Ways Your Home is Losing Energy
Happy Halloween, energy efficiency fans!
‘Tis the season of ghosts, ghoulies, and beasts that go bump in the night, so it seems like as good a time as any to talk about the spookiest, eeriest ways your home may be losing energy—and what you can do about it (no exorcist required).
Banish the Energy Vampires
Leaving your appliances and chargers plugged in might not seem like a big deal, but sometimes even devices that appear to be “off” can still be using energy. We call these little beasties “energy vampires,” and while they may not be the fiercest of foes they can still be a drain on your power, and ultimately your bill.
The good news is that manufacturers have been doing a lot to help combat the problem, and newer devices tend to be pretty toothless, so to speak. But it’s still not a bad idea to unplug anything that you’re not using, especially if it’s an older model device. You can also look for a Smart Strip that can control the vampires scheming with bigger appliances.
Read more about the energy vampires that may be in your home.
Zombie Appliances
Are there certain appliances in your home that, against all odds, seem to keep staggering back to life? An old refrigerator, perhaps, or a microwave full of ancient evil?
Okay, maybe that’s a little over the top, but the truth is that older appliances aren’t always as energy efficient as the latest models—especially those that bear the ENERGY STAR® seal. While we appreciate frugality as much as anyone, your zombie appliances may be wasting an awful lot of energy needlessly.
If you’ve been thinking about getting new appliances, now is as good a time as any. Upgrade to something more energy efficient and put those old zombies to rest.
Light Switch Phantoms
Tell us if this sounds familiar: You walk into an empty room, only to discover that the lights are on and the television is blaring. What’s easier to believe—that somebody in your own home would so casually waste energy, or that your house is haunted by phantoms that love nothing more than running up your bills?
Well, okay, maybe there’s nothing supernatural going on here. Sometimes our kids (okay, or even we ourselves) aren’t as good about switching things off as we should be. We’ve talked before about ways to get the kids involved when it comes to saving energy, but every now and then adults could use a few reminders too.
It sounds simple, but flipping the switch when you leave a room can add up to big energy savings over time. And that doesn’t scare us at all.
Contact Us to Learn More
Halloween or not, saving energy is a great idea no matter the season. If you’d like to learn more about what you can do, contact us today.