Garlic alone won’t ward off these expensive energy suckers. However, there is something you can do to prevent energy vampires from eating your energy bill alive.
The most effective solution is to simply plug in the appliances before using, and unplug after use. However, that’s time consuming and inconvenient. Here’s three ideas to save energy and money by blocking energy vampires:
Switch to Smart Power Strips
Smart power strips are time controlled power strips that can help cut energy consumption during hours of little use. For example, by setting these strips to turn off at 11:30 and turn back on at 8:00, you can reduce unnecessary electricity consumption- saving energy and money. Additionally, these can be set to reflect your routine, making life more convenient.
Lowes, Amazon, and the Home Depot all carry smart power strips that cost between $15 and $50, depending on size and features.
Consider Smartplugs
Smart plugs are a relatively new appliance that falls into the “Internet of Things” category. These are wifi-enabled outlets that talk with your smartphone, thermostat, or other connected device to automatically turn power on or off to a particular outlet.
That enables you to automatically turn off the front hall light at 10:30, or turn on the outlet that the coffee maker is plugged into on at 6:45. These are new, and slightly more expensive, but add substantial benefit and could pay for themselves in energy savings.
Microsoft carries smartplugs for just under $50.00.
Upgrade To Energy Star Appliances
The third way to save on energy vampires is to upgrade to “vampire proof” appliances, approved by the government, and given the “Energy Star seal of approval”. These appliances range from TVs to refrigerators to toasters.
If you’re looking to upgrade to a new appliance, look for the Energy Star to signify substantial energy saving potential. They also have a great website at energystar.gov.