In this economic and political climate, saving energy is not just a marketing gimmick, it’s a necessity to lessen your carbon footprint and reduce your bills. When you are working with a home theater installer, their first instinct might not be to tell you how to reduce your electricity use in your theater. You should take matters into your own hands and talk to your installation expert about a few topics, and also do a few things on your own. This will let you reduce your bills and make a positive impact on the earth at the same time.
There are a few things you should ask your home theater installer about in terms of energy consumption. One of the first things you should discuss is whether the equipment you purchased for your home meet the EPA standards for energy efficiency. These electronics will feature an Energy Star label. That means that the equipment will have features that automatically shut off after a certain amount of time or have sensors that adjust screen brightness in different light settings.
Another thing to discuss with your home theater installer is the size of your television. In general, the smaller the screen, the less energy it will use. Your installer will have a better idea of how much energy each television uses, and they will be able to direct you to a size that meets your needs but doesn’t use as much energy. The type of equipment you use also makes a difference. LCD and LED televisions use less energy than plasmas. Take this into consideration when you are deciding what sort of television you want to choose.
On your own, you can do a few things to reduce the energy consumption of your theater. All electronics still draw electricity even when they are off. In order to stop this, set your system up on a surge protector with a shutoff switch. When it’s not in use, you can kill all of the electricity by switching off the power strip. You can also dim the brightness level of your screen. This reduces the amount of light used to produce the images, and therefore reduces your electronic use. If you have a DVR with programmed settings, then you can plug that in separately so you do not lose your recording ability – just remember to hit the power on the strip if you plan on recording anything!
You can also switch from the external surround sound system and use the television’s own speakers. This eliminates the use of another set of electronics – but might not be a popular choice for those who love the power of surround sound!
