AmerenUE needs to warn you about the sneaky little energy vampires that are probably living in your house right now! No, garlic will not keep these vampires away, and you can leave that hammer and stake in the garage. Energy vampires are immune to those tools, but they are deathly afraid of one thing—being unplugged!
But it’s not that simple. These days, things like televisions, VCRs, DVD players and stereos don’t know the meaning of the word “off.” That’s because even when they are “off,” they continue to draw power so that they can be turned on instantly. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) documented a minimum of 6% of your energy bill may be consumed by these vampires. Other energy vampires are chargers for wireless tools, microwaves, coffee makers and other appliances.
Of course, it may not be practical for you to unplug all of these things when they are not in use. One simple solution is to plug appliances into a “power bar” or “surge protector” that allows you to turnoff all those appliances with one switch.
Also, you should unplug battery chargers for mobile phones, cameras and other gadgets once batteries are fully charged.
Finally, energy vampires will cringe at the site of the ENERGY STARŪ label on appliances. Replacing older, less efficient appliances with ENERGY STAR models will be the final nail in the energy vampire’s coffin!
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