It’s a spooky time of year! Keep the energy vampires, goblins, and ghouls out of your home with these helpful tips! (No Garlic Required!)

Did you know that almost 1/3 of the energy in our homes goes to waste? There are many devices that we have plugged in our homes that, like a vampire, suck energy from the grid (even when the device is turned off!) and draining the cash out of your bank account.

Here are some of the biggest energy vampires in your house:

– DVD, Cable, & DVR boxes

– Computer and printer

– Gaming consoles

– Television

– Microwave

– Refrigerator

– Lighting

A great (and simple) way to keep these device’s energy usage at bay is to plug similar devices into one power strip (i.e., TV, cable, & dvr box) and switching the power off during the day or at night when they aren’t being used. Some power strips, like the product pictured by Tricklestar, will help reduce energy waste by allowing some devices to be turned off and others to maintain power. This can be helpful for things like DVR boxes that would require set up if they lose power. (Wisconsin residents can get a FREE Tricklestar power strip from Focus on Energy!)

Now, don’t go unplugging your refrigerator in an attempt to save money, your family might just think you’ve gone crazy! A much better and food safe option is to find Energy Star appliances which use less standby power. A list of 2019’s most efficient Energy Star appliances can be found here.

Turn off the lights when you leave the room! Those CFL lightbulbs can be a doozy when it comes to how much energy they take to run, also consider switching to LED light bulbs. There are many affordable LED bulbs on the market now! If you are guilty of leaving the garage light or outdoor lights on during the day (repeat offender here), look in to having those lights put on a timer switch, such as this one.

Deeper Dive

Want to do even more to lower your energy usage? Why not make & own your own power?

That open roof you have (or large yard space) is perfect for solar panels! Adding solar power to your home can greatly offset and even eliminate your utility bill!

Not only will adding solar reduce your utility bill, but it will also reduce your carbon footprint, a win for you and our environment! The average home produces 7.5 tons of CO2 equivalents in one year. Every kilowatt of solar installed on your home lowers your carbon emissions by over 3,000 pounds annually. For the average 5 kW residential system, that means a reduction of about 7.5 TONS of CO2 every year!

Contact us today to talk to our experts!