Do Your Appliances Pull Electricity Even When They Are Turned Off?

With electric bills poised to go up possibly at the end of this year, you might want to start learning how to be more energy efficient in your house. There are a lot of ways you can help lower you electric bill, but Mike and I were discussing on the show if appliances pull energy when they aren't being used but are still plugged in.

Turns out, they are. Some of the appliances experts say you should unplug are computers, televisions, modems, cable TV boxes, cell phone chargers, stereos, coffeemakers, lamps, and toasters. It's true that constantly plugging and unplugging some of these is probably more hassle than it's worth, but you could easily get in the habit of unplugging things like chargers, toasters, and coffee makers.

There are other things you can do to save electricity. From the El Paso Electric Company:

1. Set your thermostat at 78°F or higher. Keeping your house cooler than that uses six to eight percent more energy with every degree.

2. Use ceiling fans and portable fans for rooms you’re in instead of cooling the whole house.

3. Use your shades on windows to let in light, but don’t open all the way so they block some of the heat of the sun.

4. If you have an outdoor air conditioning units or condensers, try to put them in a shaded location.

5. When you leave the house during the summer, set your air conditioner at 80°F or higher.

6. Try to do things like cooking, washing clothes, and dishwashing early in the morning or later in the evening to prevent overheating your house.