Energy Saving Tips For Home Based Businesses

Running an office out of your home requires lots of upkeep and maintenance. There’s no IT person to call when the computer is “acting up,” and there’s no custodian to contact when the lights go out.

As a home business owner, all the upkeep (and the expense that goes along with it) is on your shoulders. So I’m assuming that if you could find ways to actually save money on bills, and run your office more efficiently, you’d be interested, right? Here are some tips when it comes to purchasing your home office equipment and saving on your energy bills:

• Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. These products are the most efficient, and you can find the mark of an ENERGY STAR product on all your home electronics and appliances, including computers, printers, copiers, televisions, thermostats and ceiling fans.
• Turn off all machines when not in use. This can result in big energy savings.
• Place your laptop AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically); the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter.
• Brush up on current technology. Many people believe that your equipment will last longer if you don’t turn them off. This is a myth that is carried over from the days of older mainframe computers. Also, realize that screen savers do not reduce energy use by monitors. A better way to go is to enable your computer or laptop to go into automatic sleep mode when not in use.
• Purchase smart when upgrading. Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.

Here are some additional considerations when it comes to saving money on your energy bills in the future, thanks to information from www.business.gov, the official business link to the U.S. government:

• Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These "phantom" loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
• Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use. Studies have shown that using rechargeable batteries for products like cordless phones and PDAs is more cost effective than throwaway batteries. If you must use throwaways, check with your trash removal company about safe disposal options.