Common Energy Vampires That are Draining Your Power

Did you know that your home is host to dozens of common energy vampires? It’s all too common for the average house to have a near constant draw of electricity caused by the many devices installed in the kitchen, living room, office, bedrooms, and even the bathroom. The team at All Star Electric understands that homeowners don’t want to pay for wasted electricity use. We can help homeowners in San Antonio identify those energy vampires and rout them out.

Many electronics will continue to draw some power, even when the device is turned off. These trace amounts of electrical draw add up when you have an entire house full of electronics. Consider keeping everything on the energy vampire list unplugged when not in use. You can easily pick up smart power strips that make cutting power to these devices as simple as flipping a switch too.

Where are the Energy Vampires in Your Home?

When you are ready to start pulling the plug on those energy vampires, make sure to go through a room-by-room elimination process. There are electronics all over the average San Antonio home, so its easy to miss a few items here and there. You might want to make a habit of walking through the house once a month or so looking for electronics that might have been missed or were plugged back in and forgotten about.

Here are some common energy vampires to keep an eye out for in your home:

• Entertainment Devices: Cast an eye on the televisions, computers, game consoles, and other devices used for entertainment. These usually have a sleep mode that still draws power when not used.
• Office Equipment: Computers and laptops fall into this category too, but you’ll also want to keep printers, copiers, and other office equipment on a power strip.
• Chargers: We all need chargers for our mobile devices, like phones, but they don’t have to stay plugged in all the time. Make sure you pull out the plug when that charging dock is in use.
• Hair Styling Tools: Try not to leave your hair dryers, straighteners, electric razors, and even toothbrush chargers plugged in. It’s a potential safety hazard, and these devices still draw power when switched off.
• Kitchen Appliances: It’s not uncommon to find a few appliances, like microwaves and coffee makers, in the kitchen. You don’t need to keep these items plugged in when not in use, just leave them off completely until it’s time to cook.

Once you’ve followed these energy saving tips, the electric bill should start dropping in the coming months. If the bill remains high after a few cycles, then there may be something else going on. Give All Star Electric a call or fill out our online form to reach us about an electrical inspection or to ask about energy efficient options for the lighting and home mechanicals. We may be able to make some recommendations and provide a free estimate for further work.