Wasting Energy

According to the Home Heat Helpline people -
"Appliances left on standby can use as much as three quarters of the energy they use when they are fully switched on. The average house normally has at least eight appliances on standby wasting you money that you could easily save.
When you come to replace an appliance, check the energy efficiency rating. Over the life of a washing machine or fridge-freezer, buying an energy efficient A+ or A++ rated model could save you its purchase price in reduced energy bills".

Also - "Turning your thermostat down by only one degree centigrade can cut the cost of your heating by 10%."

Re: Wasting Energy

I used to turn things off when they had switches I could reach, but I am not pulling out appliances to reach behind them before I go to bed. They really either need to make it easier or stop going on about things like this as to my mind they show how they have no idea about real life !

Re: Wasting Energy

I have a couple of these power boards that monitor one device; if it is off it cuts the power to all the other devices on the 'slave' section of the board.

I have one connected to my computer so when the computer is off the power is cut off the sound system, printer, screen, scanner etc

The other connected to my home theatre so if the amp is off the power is disconnected from the TV, DVD player, Woofer, Internet switch, Media player, Blu Ray

It saves a bit of money especially those devices with low voltage transformers permanently plugged in.

Re: Wasting Energy

I don't think I have anything on standby - Oh - yes I do - the computer, but that is the only thing. Everything else, except the obvious (refridgerator, deep freezer) is switched off before I go out/go to bed. The computer has to stay on standby because I cannot reach the wall socket without disturbing too many other things.

Re: Wasting Energy

I can't reach my plugs they put them in such stupid [laces these days

Re: Wasting Energy

I never leave anything on standby. But then I have always had a rather pathological hatred of any wastage.

Re: Wasting Energy

It annoys me that these 'agencies' treat us like idiots when giving out advice . I think we can work out for ourselves that turning the heating down will cut the cost of the heating bill and that leaving things on standby wastes electricity.

I am sure those of us living on pensions always try not to waste any electricity, we leave that to those with large incomes who don't need to worry about such things.

Its the same idea with the new 'energy saving' meters we are soon to receive in the belief that seeing how much we are using will help us to use less. It won't make a jot of difference to my usage because I think twice before I turn anything on now.

Re: Wasting Energy

I agree with that Meg, can't see how seeing what we're using will enable us to use less. These meters will be doing the companies more good than they will us - as usual.
I understand the new meters won't have to be read anymore, so they will get rid of their meter readers and save their wages for a start!

Re: Wasting Energy

I read my own meter and send in the reading once a month already I like to know what is happening

Re: Wasting Energy

I never leave the microwave plugged in and always turn off the TV at the socket if I'm not watching

Some years ago I heard that when you've turned on a fluorescent light, leave it on. If you keep switching it on and off it wastes ? something or other


yay ... good stuff