Saving Energy When Using Home Electronics

Posted on 04. May, 2010 by Anna in Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficient Homes, General Articles

As of the year 2000, there were over four million people working at home in the United States. Having this kind of work setup saves both employer and employee a lot of expense. However, it does add to your home’s monthly utility bills. You may consume too much electricity using various types of equipment for your office at home if you don’t practice energy-efficiency.

Equipment with the Energy Star logo is common in office supply stores nowadays. Surprisingly, by using such energy-efficient office equipment, you could save up to 90% as compared to similar products without the Energy Star label.

If you have a home office and would like to save as much as possible, try these cost-effective ways of reducing your energy consumption while working at home.

• Purchase only energy-efficient models when buying office equipment such as copiers, computers, fax machines, etc..
• Take advantage of the low-power mode or feature whenever possible. This lowers energy consumption and cools the device as well.
• Remember that leaving your office equipment in stand-by mode still consumes energy, which adds to your electric bill.
• Turning off equipment when not in use not only saves energy but also makes it last longer.
• Especially if you would like to have a portable computer with a smaller screen, a laptop can be a much better option than the slim, sleek desktop computers, as it consumes less energy, allowing you to save more on your electricity bill each month.
• When using a laptop, don’t leave it plugged into the AC adapter continuously.
• It’s a good idea to unplug electronic equipment and appliances in your home before going out or sleeping. Electronics can continue to consume a small amount of electricity even though you’ve already switched them off, referred to as phantom loads. This includes computers, televisions, DVD players, stereos, and even some of the appliances that can be found in your kitchen as well.
• When charging batteries, be sure to unplug the charger after each use.