This Halloween, UE reminds you to be on the lookout for energy vampires—sneaky little devices like cell phone chargers and appliances that are in your house right now and stealing your electricity. In fact, there may be one lurking beside you right now!
Garlic will not keep these vampires away, and you can leave that hammer and stake in the garage. Energy vampires are immune to those tools, but they are deathly afraid of one thing—being turned off!
But it’s not that simple.
These days, things like televisions, VCRs, DVD players and stereos don’t know the meaning of the word “off.” That’s because even when they are “off,” they continue to draw power so that they can be turned on instantly. Other energy vampires are chargers for wireless tools, microwaves, coffee makers and other appliances.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has documented that a minimum of six percent of your energy bill may be consumed by these energy vampires. For a UE customer using 1,000 kilowatthours a month -- that means at least $4 a month is being sucked up by your energy vampires.
UE offers these tips for shutting down the energy vampires in your life:
• Plug appliances into a “power bar” or “surge protector” that allows you to turn off multiple appliances with only one switch.
• Unplug battery chargers for mobile phones, cameras and other gadgets once batteries are fully charged.
• Finally, energy vampires will cringe at the site of the ENERGY STAR® label on appliances. Replacing older, less efficient appliances with ENERGY STAR models will be the final nail in the energy vampire’s coffin!
With residential electric retail rates that are more than 40 percent below the national average, UE provides electricity and natural gas to 1.2 million customers in Missouri. UE’s parent, Ameren Corporation, through its affiliates, serves 2.4 million electric and nearly 1 million natural gas customers across 64,000 square miles of Missouri and Illinois.
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CONTACT: Tim Fox, 314.554.3120, of AmerenUE