You might not be aware of it, but almost all appliances use electricity while they are plugged in – even if they are turned “off. This is what is known as a “vampire load.” According to the U.S. Department of Energy, vampire loads are responsible for sucking up to 20% of the energy used in most homes. Appliances like HDTVs even on “standby” mode still drain a lot of electricity. Lots of other appliances drain energy just by being plugged in. Special “Green Outlets” can detect appliances that are draining power and cut off the flow to them, greatly reducing the energy. Some advanced models can detect how much power is being used and display the readings on a small screen to read and adjust accordingly.
Cell phones chargers are a major vampire of electricity. They continue to suck electricity simply by being plugged into the wall. They continue to drain quite a bit of power even when your phone is not plugged into them.
When possible keep appliances unplugged when not in use. The easiest way to do this is to use surge strips to keep appliances plugged in while allowing you to “unplug” by flicking off the switch. 
Turn Your Lights Off. It does take some energy to power up your bulb, but it is still worth turning off your lights. As a general rule, if the light will remain on for over two minutes, it will save money by turning it off.
Electric heaters are a a huge waste of energy. They are an inefficient way to heat a house and can be a fire hazard. However, If you have a large house and are usually just in one or two rooms (like a living room or an office), it is better to just heat those rooms than the entire vacant house. Another place is the bathroom. Though you may like to keep your house slightly chilly to save electricity and money, a space heater can keep your bathroom toasty so you don’t have to step shivering out of the shower.
Timers are a good idea in many places in your home. Timers are not only great for saving energy but also for security. Lights turning off and on when you are on vacation are an effective deterrent against break-ins as they fool criminals into thinking someone is at home.
Brodie Electric is a proud member of Just SCV’s Best to learn more about them go to http://www.justscvsbest.com or to http://www.brodieelectric.com
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