Ever wondered why your electricity bill is so high? Even if you are really diligent about turning off lights when you leave a room – and you don’t linger in front of an open refrigerator door gazing at the contents – you still might find yourself shocked by your electricity bill.
This may be the result of a variable energy rate from your utility company or energy supplier. Instead, consider obtaining a fixed-price energy plan that locks in your price for a certain term length – limiting your exposure to fluctuating energy prices and helping address surprise energy bills. You can view Powervine Energy’s fixed-price energy plans by clicking here.
With your energy price remaining constant, you can then turn to how much energy you are using in your home. Did you know that almost 50% of the devices in your home actually use power even when they’re turned off? In fact, according to a recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council, roughly 25% of all residential energy usage is from devices that appear to be turned off but are not.
Okay, so now that we’ve established that “OFF” may not mean completely OFF, we should take a closer look at the devices in our home. Understanding which of the devices draw power even when not in use can be helpful in finding ways to lower your energy bill.
While there are some devices that should not be unplugged, such as your refrigerator and freezer, there are plenty of other items around your home that could easily lower your energy costs if you simply “pulled their plugs” and disconnected them when not in use.
Instead of reaching down to deal with unplugging wires and outlets, a more convenient way to manage this approach is to use timers, power strips, or smart outlets.
Let’s take a walk around the house and find some energy saving tips:
1. Television
Idle televisions have been clocked at using over 50 watts of electricity when off, which can amount to over $50 a year in energy. By unplugging your television when you’re not watching your favorite show, you will save money on your electricity bill.
2. Desktop Computer
Shutting down and unplugging your desktop when not in use (especially at night) is a great way to increase energy efficiency. Some people simply leave their computers in sleep mode – thinking this is enough. While it’s convenient to have the computer turn on with one touch, it is still drawing power and increasing your electricity costs in the process.
3. Phone Charger
Modern smartphones charge much faster than older ones, so try charging your phone only during dinner or just a couple hours before bed and then turning it off for the night. (This will not only reduce electricity use; it will also preserve the life of your battery.)
4. Fans and Lamps
Consider unplugging your fans, some lamps, and extra lights before going to bed – or in parts of your home you don’t often frequent. Most of us use only a fraction of our home in the evening, so start unplugging fans and additional light sources early and your electricity bill will thank you later.
5. Kitchen Appliances
Your toaster, coffee maker, and blender do not need to be plugged in at all times. Once you finish making your meal or drink, simply unplug your device to stop drawing power. You will save money and also prevent accidents that could occur from these devices remaining energized.
6. Cable Boxes
This can be coupled with unplugging your television when not in use to add even more to your energy savings.
7. Game Consoles
When you’re not saving the world from an alien invasion with other people online, give your game console (and your energy bill) a break by pulling the plug.
8. Fish Tanks
Just kidding! You can’t unplug your heater or bubbler. You need to keep these plugged in to keep those cute little fishies alive. 🙂
While the amount of energy saved by simply unplugging one device may not seem like much, when you begin to compound the effect of not drawing energy from multiple devices over the course of a month (and even a year), you can put a serious dent in your energy utility costs.
So take a few minutes to look around your house and start “pulling the plug” on devices you’re not using. This can be an easy step to enjoying the benefits of keeping your home energy efficient.
We hope this article has given you some helpful and practical ideas on how to lower your energy bills by unplugging some simple household devices, but certainly NOT your fish tank!
Pro Tip #1
If you are using a power strip extension cord with multiple devices plugged in, you can switch off the power strip to instantly cut power and costs from multiple devices in an entire room at one time.
Pro Tip #2
Many of your household devices may have a Power Saving setting that will automatically reduce their power usage after a set amount of idle time. Review the setting of those devices to take advantage of this option without having to worry about pulling any additional plugs.
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