Article uncovers ways to save money on home energy bills by reducing “Insidious Power Drains”

With home energy bills constantly on the rise, homeowners are constantly looking for ways to reduce their power bills and save money. While many people have already made the switch to more efficient light bulbs, a new article by contributor Jeff Bertolucci appearing the in the May/June issue of The Saturday Evening Post, points out that a number of high-tech devices in your home may be costing you money.

In his article, “Insidious Power Drains” Bertolucci points out that American’s spend a substantial amount of money for their energy bill on high-tech devices when they are not even in use. Additionally, Bertolucci provides tips to help save money on your electric bill, and identifies some products and tools which could keep your power use down.

In the complete article, available online at: www.saturdayeveningpost.com/energy-efficiency, Bertolucci points out many of the biggest, yet unnoticed power drains, which are costing you money. Among the culprits are your “cable box, HDTV, computer monitor, and sundry other electronic gadgets that consume power even when in “sleep” mode. While their energy-sucking ways may seem harmless, they cost you big bucks over time.”

The article points out that, roughly 8 percent of home electricity expenses (which amounts to about $100 per year), is the result of electrical power devices in a low-power mode. To help combat the problem, Bertolucci’s article offers some tips and products to help you save. We have included a few excerpts from the complete article below.

“Desktop computers and monitors are notorious energy wasters, particularly in home offices where tech gear is often left on 24/7. Many low-cost power-saving devices can stop the power drip and cut your electric bill. The Belkin Conserve Switch Surge Protector with Remote ($40), for instance, is a power strip with six switchable (on/off) outlets, and two additional outlets that are always on. The wall-mountable wireless remote works up to 60 feet from the power strip. To turn off up to six devices—a computer, monitor, printer, speakers, and external hard drive—simply flip the switch. The two always-on outlets are great for gadgets that need power 24/7, such as an Internet router or cordless phone.

“And for the technophiles among us, there’s the amazing Nest, a programmable, power-saving thermostat you can install. The $250 Nest Learning Thermostat can cut your heating and cooling bill by up to 20 percent, the company claims. The Nest thermostat studies your heating/cooling habits and adjusts itself accordingly. For instance, if you raise the temperature in your home on a single occasion, Nest will ignore the change. But if you raise it two Mondays mornings in a row at 7 a.m., Nest will learn from your behavior and start making the change automatically. Created by a former Apple executive, Nest is sleek and stylish. And you can control Nest with your smartphone, PC, or tablet via a Wi-Fi connection.

“More economical alternatives include the Honeywell Wi-Fi 7 Day Programmable Thermostat, which includes a free app for Apple and Android mobile devices. It’s more affordable at $100 to $120 online.”

In his final energy saving tip, borrowed from The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Bertolucci advises that you unplug your devices once they are finished charging, and unplug power adapters from wall outlets when they are not being used, as many of them continue to drain power as long as they are plugged in.