JUNO BEACH – Florida Power & Light Company is sharing tips to help customers reduced standby electricity use and lower their energy bills.
Such “energy vampires” are devices that appear turned off but are still plugged in, and they can account for 5% to 10% of household energy use, according to FPL. The biggest standby power users in your home:
- Entertainment systems are usually the worst offenders. Cable boxes, gaming consoles and sound systems stay in standby mode 24/7, ready to respond instantly when you grab the remote.
- Kitchen appliances with digital displays – coffee makers, microwaves, toaster ovens – keep their clocks running and displays lit at all times.
- Chargers and power adapters continue drawing power whether your devices are connected or not. That warm laptop charger sitting on your desk? It’s using electricity even when your laptop is nowhere near it.
- Printers and computer equipment maintain network connections and stay ready for wireless printing commands, even in “sleep” mode.
FPL offers these strategies:
- Use power strips for entertainment centers. Plug your cable box, gaming console and sound system into one strip and flip the switch when you’re done watching TV. Cable boxes and gaming consoles typically use much more standby power than smaller devices.
- Unplug occasional-use items. That coffee maker, toaster oven or printer doesn’t need to stay plugged in 24/7 if you only use it once a day.
- Check your chargers. Unplug phone, laptop and tablet chargers when you’re not actively charging something.
Visit FPL.com/WaystoSave for more tips and tools.
