Just because no one is home doesn’t mean your house isn’t wasting energy. Here’s how to save while you’re away.
It’s easy to forget about your unoccupied house while you’re out working, traveling, or just having fun. If you leave electronic devices and appliances operating at full capacity, however, your empty house may be wasting energy and money. Here are four common types of empty house energy waste and what you can do about them.
Comfort settings
Keeping your unoccupied house comfortable is a big waste of energy and money. Adjust temperatures to save energy before you leave. To optimize savings and convenience, install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures based on your schedule.
Phantom power
Many electronic devices continue to draw power even when no one is home to use them. Unplug these devices to avoid standby power losses. Plug multiple devices, such as an entertainment center, into one power strip for easy shutoff.
Left on lights
Turn off all lights when you’re the last to leave for the day. To save on lighting while you are at home, replace conventional incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR®-certified LEDs, which use up to 75% less energy. Remember to turn them off when you leave, though. High-efficiency bulbs still waste energy lighting empty spaces.
Standby hot water
Your water heater tank continues to heat water even though no one is around. If you’re heading out for the weekend or longer, lower the temperature on your water heater. That way, you’ll reduce the amount of energy used to heat all that hot water you’re not using.
Get smart and save
Smart technology gives you more control, allowing you to save energy at home no matter where you are.
Did you forget to change the thermostat before you left? With a smart thermostat, it’s no problem. Just use the accompanying app on your smartphone to adjust the temperature from wherever you are. Some smart models can even learn your habits and program themselves based on your schedule.
You can turn off smart lightbulbs remotely or on a schedule to prevent waste. Smart plugs and advanced power strips can automatically shut off power to unused electronic devices, saving you money on phantom power whether you are home or not.
With simple adjustments and smart, low-cost upgrades, you can keep your empty house from filling up your monthly energy bills.
Visit www.celp.com for additional energy efficiency tips.
Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power contributes a monthly column to the Journal Review.
