Devices you should unplug to save on your electricity bill

Electricity bills have skyrocketed in recent times, with household appliances being the main culprits. It is crucial to take urgent measures to ease this economic burden and save energy.

Every home is increasingly connected with smart devices and home appliances that make your life more comfortable, simple and efficient. However, this convenience comes at a cost, and we are not just referring to the purchase price of the products, but leaving all these devices connected can considerably affect the final price of the invoice.

Inflation and rising natural gas prices have had a significant impact on utility bills, and electricity is no exception.

When looking at your electricity bill, you can often be surprised by the amount owed, and much of it is due to the energy consumption of connected devices.

To take control of your bill and reduce your cost, it is essential to understand how household appliances and any device connected to the outlet affect electricity consumption.. A first step to reduce it is to know that there are certain devices that still use energy even after turning them off, this includes computers, Smart TVs, video game consoles, etc.

How to reduce unnecessary consumption and save on your electricity bill

Unplugging devices you’re not actively using is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce power consumption.. Many computers continue to draw electricity even when turned off in standby mode, so unplugging them completely can prevent idle charging.

If you’re not sure what appliances and other devices are contributing to a price increase on your bill, here’s a list of all household appliances and devices that you must unplug from the current right now and those in which you should check the power settings:

• aquariums: While you can’t unplug the aquarium, consider investing in an energy-saving pump to cut costs.
• decoder: If you are looking to further reduce your energy consumption, one option is to disconnect the boxes or decoders that you do not use regularly.
• Audio equipment: Unplugging audio devices when not in use, such as amplifiers or stereos, is an easy way to save money on your electricity bill.
• fans: By disconnecting the fans you will help save energy and reduce electricity consumption.
• Lights: Turn off the lights when they are in use or use a timer to turn them off automatically. There is no need to keep a light on unnecessarily all day.
• Smart TV: Unplug TVs you don’t use regularly, like those in guest bedrooms.
• desktop computer: Set the auto-sleep option to put your computer to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity and turn it off when you’re done using it.
• Laptop: Unplug your laptop cable when you are not using it to avoid unnecessary power consumption.
• Wi-Fi Router: Disconnecting the WiFi router before going to sleep is a good way to save energy, it is not necessary to have Internet access while you sleep.
• Chargers: Unplug the charger when you are not charging your mobile or tablet, it is one of the accessories that continues to consume energy when not in use.
• video game consoles: Consoles, like the PS5 or Xbox Series X consume a lot of power even when you’re not playing with them. It is recommended to unplug them and disable instant-on mode.
• Printer: Unplug your printer when you are not using it, as it is often in standby mode and consumes unnecessary power.

Home appliances are responsible for a significant part of energy consumption in homes. Some models use significantly higher amounts of energy and therefore it is essential to take steps to reduce their impact on daily energy consumption.

An important point to mention is that refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and ovens consume the most energy.since they usually work for long periods of time and are usually connected to the electric current continuously.

Unplugging them when you’re not home or when you’re not using them is an effective way to keep your electricity bill from getting higher than usual. Below, we present the electrical appliances that you must unplug when not in use:

• Air-conditioning: Be sure to completely turn off the air conditioning system when no one is home and during the colder months.
• Dryer: To reduce costs, and if the weather allows it, put the sheets outside to dry in the sun and you can save a little money on the electric bill.
• electric kitchen oven: An electric oven consumes around 1.9 kW per hour, which can represent an expense of up to 20 euros per month.
• Microwave: Unplug the microwave when not in use, as it consumes energy even when not in use.
• Fridge: In most cases it is impossible to unplug the refrigerator, but keeping food covered to prevent the release of moisture forces the compressor to work less. You can choose to make quick decisions about what you need before opening the door to minimize the time it remains open.
• Dishwasher: Only using it when completely full will help you save energy, and you can also choose to wash dishes by hand when there aren’t enough to justify running the dishwasher.
• Coffee maker: Unplug your coffee maker when you are not using it, as it consumes a lot of energy. If you have an automatic or capsule coffee maker, connect a timer to save on standby energy costs.

In short, even if you turn off the TV, kitchen appliances, and keep chargers in the socket, they often continue to draw power in standby mode. To keep this situation at bay, it is recommended to disconnect them completely or use a power strip with a switch to avoid additional consumption.

Remember that every small change counts when it comes to reducing idle load and controlling your electricity consumption. By implementing these measures, you will be able to have greater control over your bill and at the same time contribute to caring for the environment..