Home Fixated

electricity

Disaster Prep Basics – How and Why You Need to Turn Off Your Electricity

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For some of us around the country, mega-storm Sandy is thankfully a distant memory. And while my family and I escaped the brunt of it, many people were not so lucky. It was the topic of conversation during Thanksgiving Dinner at my wife’s family home in New Jersey. Luckily for them, they too were on the alee side of the storm and only got hit with lots of rain and mild flooding. But not all the family got off so easy. Read More

And You Thought Halloween Was Over – New Laws on Vampire Electricity

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Photo – Verizon Wireless
The howls of ghosts and goblins may be fading memories now but another danger still lurks in your home. It usually strikes in the middle of the night sucking the energy from your home and slowly draining the money from your wallet while you sleep. No, it’s not your freeloading younger brother who needs a place to crash and who apparently hasn’t eaten in weeks. No, I’m talking vampire plugs. The term refers to appliances such as DVD players, computers, tv’s and their power plugs, and specifically battery chargers for things like phones, computers, and even your beloved cordless tools, which draw power when left plugged in. They may look innocuous but by some estimates these little imps can waste as much as 60% of the electricity they consume, the parallels with younger brothers grows stronger and stronger. Read More