Prevent standby consumption

Many electrical appliances still consume power even when you don’t use them. Just think of the modem, the TV that is conveniently put on standby, the chargers for smartphones or electric toothbrushes that stay plugged in.

This unnecessary power consumption is called standby consumption. It is often low. However a lot of  standby consumers in the house can quickly increase your total consumption. Each watt of standby consumption costs you 2 euros per year. So there is a lot to save.

Tip for today
Prevent stand by consumption by

• Unplugging appliances when not in use.
• Turn them off completely, don’t keep them on standby
• Use a power strip with a switch. This will turn off the power of multiple devices at once.

How do you really know if your household appliances are true energy guzzlers without you noticing it?

There are a few factors that are a good indicator of standby consumption:

• The appliances have a digital clock or other information indicator.
• If you turn the appliance off, a light will stay on.
• Even if the unit is not turned on, heat is released or you still hear a sound.

If you want to work in a structured way, you can use an energy meter. This simple device – for 15 euros you can already buy one – shares a wealth of information with you. You plug the energy meter into the wall socket and then connect the device you want to take a closer look at.