3 Devices You Should Not Unplug To Save Electricity
Unplugging to reduce your electric bill is a suggestion that may be worth considering, but some appliances should remain plugged in to reduce potential risks. What electronics are used in your home will determine if unplugging is an option to save money.
If you are interested in learning how much electricity a certain appliance uses, you can use a Watt meter. After that, decide if unplugging will help cut down on your home's electricity costs, but three items shouldn't be unplugged.
1. Water Heater
It may seem like disconnecting the water heater when not in use can help save money on electricity, but this can be a risky decision. Cooling the water in the tank can lead to the growth of harmful microorganisms like Legionella bacteria, and the cost savings may not be worth the risk of disease and inconvenience.
Additionally, the water heater also has a heat preservation function, so if it's used often, it's best to keep it plugged in. Unplugging it could cause it to have to restart multiple times, which would consume a lot of power and reduce the life of the device.
If looking to save money and still have safe hot water easily available, switching to a tankless water heater may be a better option.
2. Monitoring and Alarmed Devices
Nowadays, many individuals are using surveillance cameras and alarm systems to reduce the risk of theft. Disconnecting these devices will prevent them from working properly, which leaves the home vulnerable to theft, without providing much energy savings.
3. Routers or Modems
Nowadays, most electronics are capable of being connected to the web, allowing users to access and manage them remotely. Therefore, it is not very useful to simply unplug the router or modem.