Computer efficiency 101

With all the extra spending this time of year everyone is looking for ways to cut costs in as many ways as possible. Your energy bill is generally higher this time of year due to the cost of heating your home, longer hours burning light bulbs, extra lights for decorating, more cooking for the holidays and more people at home using electric devices during Christmas vacation.

If a computer is on your Christmas list, use the following information to help choose the most energy efficient one and you can use the money you save on electricity for another gift!

Your desktop computer isn’t an energy guzzler, but buying an efficient model and using it without wasting energy can help you manage your energy costs.

Some tips:

• Buy a laptop or desktop computer with a low-power “sleep mode,” which slips the computer into “standby” after the user has been inactive for more than a few minutes. You can determine how long the computer should be idle before sleep mode kicks in. A suggestion: Set it for 10 minutes so your computer won’t go idle while you’re working but it won’t remain on for long if you forget to turn it off when you’re finished.
• Although computers in sleep mode burn a bit of energy, experts say it’s better for your computer than constantly turning it on and off.
• When you do shut your computer down, unplug it, too, so it won’t use any energy at all. If your computers are part of a network that must remain on, turn the monitors off.
• Choose a computer that bears the Energy Star label — a government assurance that the unit is energy-efficient.

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