Home Office

Computers are changing the way we live and work.  Increasingly people are working at home and requiring all of the office equipment they would use in an office setting including computers, monitors, copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, multiple phones and peripherals.  Even people who don’t work out of their homes often have a home office just for managing their lives, paying their bills and coordinating their activities.  The office may be one separate room or a portion of one devoted to being an office.  

This lifestyle change has required some new thinking about how we use and manage energy for these areas.  While most of these pieces of office equipment don’t use an enormous amount of electricity by themselves, in aggregate, they can create a large load.  Heat generated can require additional cooling for that area.  It’s wise to purchase energy efficient office equipment like that displaying the Energy Star logo, and it’s generally a good idea to keep equipment off when it’s not in use.  That can save on the life of the equipment, reduce direct energy costs for operating it, and reduce heat build up in the area.

One characteristic most of this office equipment shares is sensitivity to power quality problems.  The least little sag or spike can cause an interruption or even damage, so all of these devices should be protected.