Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative is issuing a Public Service Announcement warning consumers to be on the lookout for the Energy Monsters lurking in their homes:

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Public Service Announcement
For Immediate Release

From: Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative
Date: 31 October 2015 
Subject: Energy Monsters

BEWARE OF ENERGY MONSTERS

Energy Monsters feed off of electricity; their insatiable appetite puts stress on the electrical grid and your electric bills. These monsters often hide in plain sight, behind your side-tables or nestled in your baseboards. Here are some tips for spotting Energy Monsters and tricks for kicking them to the curb:

• Energy Monsters enjoy hiding in old, outdated thermostats. Many thermostats allow Energy Monsters to feed on electricity 24/7, wreaking havoc on your HVAC. Replacing your existing thermostat with a smart upgrade that lets you program temperature settings from your smart phone, learns your preferences and reduces overall grid demand is the best tactic to tame these beasts. 
• Cleverly disguised, Energy Monsters can easily make a cozy nest in incandescent light bulbs, gobbling up energy each time you turn the lights on. Putting a spotlight on this issue are energy-efficient LED bulbs, many of which come with programmable features. These smart lights will send the monsters packing. 
• Do you know how many electrical outlets you have in your home? The Energy Monsters do. Equipped with this knowledge they invite their cousins, the Energy Vampires, over to feast. Many devices (even when turned off) still use electricity–feeding the Energy Monsters, helping them grow larger… and doing the same to your electric bill. You can end this energy buffet by using smart power strips, which cut off the flow of electricity when devices are not in use, leaving the Energy Vampires hungry.
• Outdated appliances such as washers and dryers are like an amusement park for Energy Monsters, spinning them around-and-around and keeping them clean. Throw these Energy Monsters back in the mud by using smart home appliances that can be controlled with an app and can help you I.D. the most cost-effective time to do your chores.

This Public Service Announcement has been brought to you by Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative, a nonprofit organization representing consumers, advocates, utilities and technology-providers in order to advance the adoption of a reliable, efficient and secure smart grid. For more tips on how to rid your home of Energy Monsters or to learn more about the smart grid, sign up for our e-newsletter.

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