Tips for Saving Electricity
You probably don’t even realize it, but an energy thief is inside your
home at this very moment. This thief is silent and unseen, and he’s picking your
pocket. His name is "standby power". Standby power is the name given to the
electricity used to power electrical appliances and devices even when they are
turned off. But how can this be Isn’t an appliance "off" when you switch it
off Not necessarily. Many electronic devices consume
electricity 24 hours a day just to stay warmed up for whenever you decide to use
them. "Instant on" TV sets are one example. Whether you watch TV seven hours a
day or not at all, the TV is always partially on, staying ready to flicker(闪烁)
to life the moment you turn on its switch. Other devices that
consume power constantly are those that have external or internal clocks:
microwave ovens, computers, VCRs, DVD players, and cable TV and satellite TV
boxes. Energy experts estimate that approximately 5 percent of residential
electrical power consumption in the United States is used for standby power.
That’s a lot of power plants running overtime just to keep our electronics warm
and ready to go. Some of the most prevalent standby power
devices are the large plug-in transformers that are used to step down power to
cordless phones and answering machines. How much do these various devices
consume Not much; just a few watts, maybe 3 to 5 each. But multiply that number
over a 24-hour day, times the 6 to l0 devices in a typical home, and the scope
of the savings could be greater than it may seem. Switch Off
Equipment Not in Use For many years manufacturers had
no incentive to increase the energy efficiency of electronic devices that use
standby power. After all, they weren’t paying anyone’s electric bill. But
recently, since more efficient devices have appeared on the market, any
electronic equipment you purchase new will likely yield an energy improvement
over something that has a few years on it. A good solution to
deal with standby power losses in existing equipment is to plug several of the
devices into a power strip that has an on/off switch. Power strips are
inexpensive and available at home centers and office supply stores. An entire
cluster of items can then be shut off--really shut off--just by flicking one
switch. This works well in areas like home entertainment centers, where a TV,
VCR, DVD player, and cable box might already be plugged into one electrical
receptacle. However, if you want to leave some of the devices
on--for instance a VCR, to record while you’re away, this scheme won’t work. And
it isn’t worth doing on devices that have a clock feature that you depend on to
tell time. But if you think it through and separate out devices that can be
switched off entirely without consequence, you might be surprised by the number
you can put together on one power strip. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea
from an energy-efficiency standpoint to unplug anything electronic that you’re
not using at that moment. Lamps and toasters aren’t electronic and don’t draw
standby power when they’re switched off, but battery chargers, TVs, VCRs, DVD
players, computers, and stereo systems do. Why pay for this leaking power if
you’re not using the item Check Settings for Appliances
It is surprising how involved we can get with tweaking and adjusting some
things in our lives, yet remain utterly oblivious to others. We may spend hours
picking out paint for a dining room, yet be unaware that our refrigerators are
running too hot or too cold. That can cost money we don’t need to spend and
consume electricity that does not need to be wasted.
Refrigerator and freezer temperatures can be set using an accurate
thermometer and the easy-to- find controls inside the refrigerator
compartment(低温室). Set the refrigerator to 36 to 38 degrees, and the freezer to 0
to + 5, Anything lower than that is wasted. Food won’t last any longer if it is
kept at a lower temperature, and some items, like lettuce and other vegetables,
can even freeze and be destroyed by lower temperatures in the refrigerator
compartment, wasting both food and energy. If you nm a
dehumidifier(减湿器) in your home, be aware that most are controlled by a
humidistat. A humidistat to humidity is what a thermostat is to temperature. In
other words, as the humidity in the area where the dehumidifier is running drops
to a certain set-point, the machine will shut itself off until the humidity
rises past that set-point again. Turning the humidistat to its
lowest setting causes the dehumidifier to run constantly, which is wasteful. And
because dehumidifiers use quite a bit of electricity, running one as
infrequently as possible will benefit your utility bill’s bottom line. Finding a
humidity level you can live with--and then Setting the humidistat to that
level--will result in the unit running intermittently, which saves energy
compared to one that runs continuously. Maximize Personal
Comfort The adjustment to a cooler house in the winter and a
warmer one in the summer can be aided by the use of devices designed to increase
personal comfort. Turning down the house heat and creating your
own warmth zone in bed by sleeping under a comforter or an electric blanket
saves energy. A small space heater serves the same purpose in a room setting. If
you know you’re going to be in one area of the house for a period of time,
dialing down the central heating system’s thermostat and turning on a space
heater in the area where you’re located can reduce overall energy consumption
during that period. This works well for home offices or entertainment rooms
designed for TV or movie watching. Alternately, in the summer,
installing a small room air conditioner in order to cool small areas can reduce
your energy bill substantially. Dial up the thermostat in the rest of the house
to keep the central air-conditioning system from running so often. The power
consumed by a small room air unit is much less than that used by the larger
system. This strategy can also be used at night in one or two bedrooms--provided
you can sleep with the noise created by a room air conditioner.
Combining the many simple steps we’ve outlined can make a dramatic
difference in your energy bills. It just takes a small commitment on your part
to save energy and put a stop to wasteful energy use in your home. Standby power consumption accounts for 5 percent of the total amount of electrical power consumption in the United States.