If you thought that vampires were simply the stuff of myths and legend then you were very much mistaken. Throughout homes and businesses all over the UK there are vampires hiding in the dark corners of the room, feeding on your electricity and adding to those yearly energy bills.
For business owners it is more important than ever to ensure that overheads are controlled and that there is no unnecessary expenditure, and one of the simplest ways to start is to stake these energy vampires.
What is a ‘Vampire’ Appliance?
A vampire appliance is any device that – when plugged in – consumes a small amount of energy even when switched off. Individually they don’t represent very much at all – perhaps using less than a single watt of energy – however when combined with every vampire in the building it can add up to hundreds of pounds a year.
This is particularly true for large company buildings with many more devices inside that could be draining your energy without you even realising.
The Main Offenders
Not every electronic device that is on your premises drains power when switched off in this way, but many do, and there are a number of appliances that are particularly prone to do so. These include:
- Television sets;
- Laptops and computers;
- Printers;
- Cordless phones;
- Mobile phone chargers.
These are the devices which, according to the Energy Saving Trust, add between 9% and 16% to annual domestic electricity bills, costing more than £1.3 billion in wasted energy, and it likely to be an even greater number as far as UK businesses are concerned.
The best way to identify whether or not a device is a vampire appliance is to feel it for warmth. A device that is not consuming any energy should be cool to touch, while a light (such as those found on laptop chargers) is also a sign that energy is being used.
Don’t be a Sucker – Unplug that Device
So what can you do to tackle the issue of vampire appliances? Well, unlike most things in business, dealing with this problem is actually relatively straight forward. If you know or suspect that a device is continuing to use energy even when switched off simply unplug it from the wall.
Although simple in practice, what can prove difficult is getting your workforce to take it on, so it is essential that you put training in place to ensure that every employee knows their responsibility and the importance of saving energy – not only for the company but also the environment.
Reducing costs by cutting back on energy usage is certainly no easy task, but by fighting back against the vampires that are hiding in your building you can make a significant and positive impact on your bottom line.
This guest blog was written by John Rooney on behalf of Heaters Wholesale, providers of energy efficient heating units that can help your company save money on your electricity overhead. Photo source
