Unplugging appliances at home is synonymous with energy conservation for many people. However, with today's technology, things have somewhat shifted. Modern devices are required to maintain certain background processes even when switched off. Consequently, sudden power outages can give rise to serious issues. Energy experts are declaring that the era of saving energy by unplugging has come to an end. So, which devices are we referring to?
Inkjet printers consume virtually no energy while in standby mode. However, unplugging these devices triggers a system reset. Once the printer is powered back on, it initiates a print head cleaning cycle, which uses up a certain amount of ink each time.
When this process is repeated several times, the ink wasted amounts to the cost of the electricity you thought you were saving. According to experts, 'wasting ink in the pursuit of saving a few pennies on electricity' is one of the most common mistakes made.
WiFi routers are among the devices that should not be turned off, similar to others. This is because routers do not solely function to connect to the internet, but also to maintain communication among smart devices at home.
Pulling the plug can lead to disconnections in smart home systems, alarm devices, or security tools like connected cameras. When the router is turned back on, the IP address is renewed, synchronization gets disrupted, and connection errors occur.
Next-generation OLED televisions come equipped with software that continues to operate quietly even after being switched off. These systems are responsible for executing the pixel refresh process on the screen. Unplugging the device before the pixel refresh is completed can lead to screen burn-in or color distortions.
Energy consultants point out that the electricity consumed by modern devices in standby mode only accounts for 2 to 3 percent of the annual bill. However, unplugging these devices can lead to costly issues such as ink wastage, connectivity problems, or even permanent screen damage.