Energy vampires
The days are getting shorter, temperatures are beginning to feel a bit more fall-like, and jack-o-lanterns are popping up on front porches. It’s spooky season and time to think about energy savings for fall.
Fighting energy vampires
In the West, summer is when we think about ways to save on energy costs, like the Flex Alert guidance to pre-cool our homes, particularly on extremely hot days. The heatwaves may have ended, but that doesn’t mean you should let down your guard. Energy vampires are lurking in our homes.
Unused appliances and electrical devices that stay plugged in pull small amounts of current even when they aren’t “on,” sucking up energy which adds up over time.
These phantom loads can haunt your energy bills. So-called "energy vampires” like unused phone chargers, air fryers and other small kitchen appliances, hair dryers, lamps, and older technology that have slunk into the background overlooked, suck up energy unnoticed.
How can you fight these energy vampires? Start by using power strips for multiple devices and switch them off when not being used. Unplug the toaster when you’re done. Look around your home for those sneaky energy vampires and pull the plug on phantom loads.
Weatherize windows and doors
Hearing a ghostly moan? Your home may not be haunted (but then again…). It’s most likely just a door or window that needs sealing. Air flowing through cracks in poorly sealed windows and doors makes your heater work harder to heat your home and that means more energy is being used (yet another energy vampire).
Those cracks can also let in moisture. No one wants creepy mold on their windowsill. Update the weatherstripping around exterior doors and caulking on windows to keep the ghostly moans and spreading mold at bay.
And don’t forget that chimney flue. Close it up when not in use to keep out drafts and poltergeists.
Switch ceiling fan direction
When you begin to feel the otherworldly chill this fall, grab your fuzzy socks and reverse the direction of your ceiling fans. It’s not a magic spell—warm air rises, and cooler air lingers low like a ghostly fog. Changing the direction of the fans to clockwise pushes warmer air down and keeps you toasty. Ceiling fans are not just for hot summer months.
One more heating tip: clean or replace HVAC filters every three months so the heater can work at top efficiency.
Energy waste is a spooky thing, but you can prepare ahead of time this fall by using these energy saving tips. Learn more about how you can flex your power this spooky season at Flexalert.org.