Sounds simple, but lights, computers, TVs, etc. that are left on but not being used in a house can quickly add up to half a kW and more; at ten hours per day, that’s almost 2,000 kWh (roughly $300) per year. Now add in the cost of heating and cooling of empty houses (no, it does NOT take more energy to quickly heat up a cool house than it does to keep it constantly warm while vacant) and you can double that figure.
Items like set top boxes, computer monitors, and phone chargers still draw power when they’re ostensibly “off” – to truly zero out their usage, turn them off from a central power switch or unplug them from the outlet. With lighting, remember the rules of thumb: for fluorescents, if you’ll be away more than thirty seconds, turn them off; for incandescents, make it one second.
Items like set top boxes, computer monitors, and phone chargers still draw power when they’re ostensibly “off” – to truly zero out their usage, turn them off from a central power switch or unplug them from the outlet. With lighting, remember the rules of thumb: for fluorescents, if you’ll be away more than thirty seconds, turn them off; for incandescents, make it one second.
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