If you are a remote worker, that means you are probably sitting at a desk in your home right now, typing away on a laptop, drinking your own coffee in a room with a light on and using your air conditioning unit to keep it cooler because of the heat being generated by the electronics in use.
Because of this, you’ve probably noticed that your electrical bill has risen as a result of working from home. So, how can you save on electricity in this case? AGK Electric has some tips to share with you.
- Turn off that PC when you are not working. While sleep modes do save some power, turning your computer completely off saves more. That includes those extra monitors, if you have them. In fact, if all of your devices are plugged into a battery backup or power strip, turn it off when you are finished.
- Reduce your lighting usage. If you can open curtains/blinds for daylight instead of using lamps or overhead lights, do so. Be sure to use LED bulbs because they use a fraction of the power that incandescent bulbs do.
- Change your air filters every 30 days. Odds are your AC or furnace (depending on the weather) is working harder when you’re home. Changing the filters every 30 days makes them more efficient.
- Unplug your chargers when not in use. Cell phone chargers use electricity even when they are not plugged into the phone.
- Strategically locate your home office. One tip that helps is to locate it away from the afternoon sun. In other words, try not to work in the westernmost place in the home. This way, you can get more natural lighting and less heat in the afternoons when the temperature is higher.
For more tips, or to get an inspection of your home’s electrical system, contact us at AGK Electric.