08/10/2026
PSA…
I spoke with a customer about a plumbing job. We discussed some options, etc. The customer also asked me about some electrical work. I have some basic knowledge. She was concerned that her electricity was being used even when her appliances and televisions were off. As we talked, I learned that she had watched an infomercial and has since been worried about wasted electricity in her home. She was ready to spend hundreds of dollars on energy saving boxes or what’s called power factor savers.
After checking all of her appliances, power strips, etc, she was doing everything right.
Do not buy these savers or boxes. They don’t decrease your electrical bill. Power factor correction units (capacitor banks) are meant for businesses or industries that use reactive power and need to reduce costs. Residential homes don’t have reactive power. Residential homes only have active power.
If you want to decrease your energy bill, use LED lights, decrease your thermostat a few degrees in the winter and increase it a few degrees in the summer. Use power strips for televisions and appliances that don’t require having to run all the time (ie refrigerator). Turn the power strip off when those items aren’t in use or just simply unplug the appliance.
