We all want to save energy and therefore money, but we often underestimate how much electricity those little red lights or standby functions can use if we don’t turn off our household appliances completely. What looks like a tiny amount of energy consumption at first glance adds up to a considerable sum over the course of a year. According to experts, four of the most important household appliances waste kilowatt hours and your money overnight if they are not turned off completely.
With a few simple habit changes, you can help lower your monthly electricity costs while minimizing your carbon footprint. Let’s take a closer look at these four household appliances and learn why you should turn them off completely at night to save electricity and money.
Refrigerator
Although the refrigerator runs 24/7, it is one of the most energy efficient appliances in the house. However, there is one exception: if you don’t turn off your refrigerator completely at night, it will continue to run in standby mode and consume unnecessary electricity. Turn it off completely when you don’t need it to save energy.
TV
The TV is another energy-hungry device that often goes unnoticed. If you just turn off your TV, it may still be consuming power when it’s in standby mode. Make sure you turn off the TV completely to save electricity.
Computer
Many of us don’t turn off our computers completely when we’re not using them. But in standby mode, it can still consume power, even if only small amounts. Make sure you turn off the computer completely to save power.
WLAN router
The Wi-Fi router is another device that often goes unnoticed. Even though it’s small, it still uses electricity when it’s in standby mode. Turn off the router completely when you don’t need it to save electricity and money.
Consistently paying attention to these four appliances and turning them off completely at night can help save you a significant amount of money on electricity costs over the course of a year. In addition, you help minimize your carbon footprint and thus contribute to climate and environmental protection.
Saving electricity at home
Power consumption in the home can vary greatly depending on the time of year and habits. But what many people don’t know is that some household appliances are real power guzzlers. Especially at night, these appliances can easily be turned off to save electricity and money.
A real power guzzler in the household is the stand-by function of electronic devices such as televisions, computers or music systems. These consume a lot of power even when turned off. So it is important to turn off these devices completely, especially at night.
Various kitchen appliances such as coffee makers and toasters also consume unnecessary power when in standby mode. A simple solution is to turn these devices off after use and unplug them as well.
Another way to save electricity is to turn off electronic chargers, such as those for cell phones or tablets. Again, electricity is often used unnecessarily when the device is already charging.
- Bottom line: there are some household appliances that consume a significant amount of power, especially in standby mode. To save electricity and money, these devices should be turned off completely at night or after use.
The real power guzzlers in the household
There are some household appliances that consume power all the time, even when you are not actively using them. Here are some tips on which appliances you should turn off at night to improve your energy efficiency and lower electricity bills.
1. The set-top box
Set-top boxes are one of the biggest power guzzlers in the home. Televisions are often equipped with their own box, which not only permanently consumes electricity, but also requires a considerable amount of energy in standby mode. It is advisable to turn off the box completely when you are not using it.
2. The coffee maker
A coffee maker also uses power in standby mode. If you brew the coffee in the morning, that’s perfectly fine, but not turning the machine off afterwards can lead to unnecessary power consumption. If you switch off the coffee machine in the evening, you can protect the environment and your wallet.
3. The computer
Computers are generally relatively energy efficient, but leaving your computer or laptop running overnight can result in high energy consumption. You should always remember to turn off your computer or put it in standby mode when you are not using it at the moment.
4. The charger
It’s not only important to charge your phones and tablets, but also to turn off the charger when you’re not using it. Even if you stop charging your device, the charger consumes power when it is plugged into the wall outlet.
By following these simple steps, you can avoid the four main power hogs in your home from driving up your electric bill.
Save electricity by turning off these household appliances at night
Saving electricity is not only good for your wallet, but also for the environment. Especially at night, you can reduce your electricity consumption with a few simple steps. One option is the night shutdown, where you turn off certain devices that are not needed during the night.
A real power guzzler is the TV, which often runs all evening long. Even if you are not actively watching, it still consumes power. So it’s best to turn it off completely and unplug it to make sure it’s not causing unnecessary stand-by.
Another device you should turn off at night is your computer. Many people also leave it running after work or when they go to sleep, but again, this is unnecessary power consumption. So, turn it off or put it on energy efficient standby.
- The coffee machine should also not run overnight. You can either turn them off manually or use a timer switch.
- The charger for your cell phone or other devices also consumes electricity, even when it is not in use. So unplug it when you don’t need it.
Ultimately, it is important to use energy consciously and avoid unnecessary power consumption. By taking a few simple steps, you can not only lower your electricity bill, but also contribute to climate protection.
Saving electricity made easy: Switching off pays off!
In everyday life, there are numerous ways to save electricity. A particularly effective method is to switch off power-hungry appliances when they are not in use. Especially at night, many devices can easily be switched off and thus unnecessary power consumption can be avoided.
Which appliances should you turn off at night? Here are four real power hogs:
- Standby devices: Even in standby mode, devices such as televisions, computers and chargers consume electricity. Therefore, turn them off completely when they are not in use.
- Kitchen appliances: Electrical kitchen appliances such as coffee makers, kettles and toasters should not be used continuously. Turn them off completely after use.
- Lighting: In unused rooms, such as the garage or basement, turn off the lights to save electricity.
- Electric heaters: Electric heaters are real electricity guzzlers. Therefore, use them only selectively and turn them off when you leave the room.
Turning off these appliances at night can save up to €250 in electricity costs per year. A sensible step for the environment and your own wallet!