Energy vampires do not attack only at night. They continue to suck the electrical juice from a home 24 hours per day seven days per week. Any device that continues using power when in a sleep or standby mode can be considered an energy vampire. As long as their fangs are attached to a power outlet, they continue to consume electricity.
Most energy vampires include small electronic devices, such as DVD and DVR players, printers and laptop adapters, items that are left plugged in and often go unused for days, weeks or even months. In many cases as much as 20% of the power used in one’s home is wasted by devices powered up but in the standby mode. Cell phone chargers are some of the sneakiest. If plugged into a wall, regardless of whether the phone is attached, these chargers continue drawing a small amount of power.
In addition to their beady red LED eyes, it is possible to identify one’s energy vampires by the method in which they plug into the outlet. Wall warts are usually small square transformers that plug directly into the wall outlet. Normally they convert the AC power from the outlet to a 9- or 12-volt DC power for devices including cordless phones, answering machines and battery chargers. Bricks use a standard plug and AC cord that attached to the heavier duty brick shaped transformer in the middle of the line. These are the chargers often found on laptop adapters. Consider the following ways to fight against their slow drain of your electricity.
Computers and printers should be completely powered down instead of being put into a sleep or standby mode.
The power cord is the main vein through which energy vampires suck energy. Unplug the device from the wall and it cannot consume any more energy until plugged back into a receptacle.
Use power strips with an on/off switch when plugging energy vampires into the electrical outlet. A single flip of the switch can block their access to the grid, reducing one’s overall power consumption.
Do you have questions what might be sucking the energy out of your home? The comfort specialists at Hobaica Services are ready to help.
Hobaica Services @ www.hobaica.com or 602-995-0387
