For many centuries, fairy tales, folklore, and now everything from horror to kids’ movies, you have learned you should fear vampires. The creatures of the night that will suck your blood or transform into a bat, flying all around.
While we don’t have to worry about actual vampires, there is another type of vampire you should be aware of and wary of – the kind that will suck and consume your home’s electricity.
What is Vampire Electricity?
Also known as standby-power or phantom-load, the term vampire electricity refers to the electricity that’s wasted by gadgets and appliances that are not being used, but still plugged in and still using electricity.
While that fact itself may not be too scary, this may be a bit more fear-inducing – vampire electricity can account for up to 20% of your total energy bill. Just think about that – if your electric bill is $200 a month, up to $40 of that may be due to electricity you aren’t even using. Why should you pay for the electricity you don’t use?
What Are the Most Common Electricity Vampires?
There are likely quite a few electricity vampires throughout your home as many new products use two of the main culprits of vampire electricity: ‘bricks’ and ‘wall-warts’.
A wall-wart is one that has a large plug box like the square on your phone charger or any device that uses a USB cord as a power cord. A brick will have a large box in the middle of the cord between the device and the wall and commonly seen with laptop chargers and TV plugs. If these items are left plugged in, they will continue using energy, even when the device is off – hence the name “energy vampire.”
Other Types of Electricity Vampires
Some of the other types of electricity vampires include:
- Appliances that have clocks or standby lights
- A standby coffee-machine
- Video game consoles
- Cable boxes
Tips for Controlling Vampire Electricity
There are several tips you can use to control the issues of vampire electricity. These tips include:
Unplugging Your Devices When They Aren’t Being Used
Do you really need to have your phone charger plugged in when you aren’t even at home? The answer is no. You should unplug your chargers, along with any other devices you aren’t using regularly. This is going to ensure they aren’t using energy and causing an increase in your utility costs.
Use Power Strips
After you have flipped the switch to the “off” position, a power strip will cut the power to an appliance that is plugged into it. If you buy smart power strips, you have something that can automatically cut off the power when no use is detected. This is going to help you save a significant amount on your energy costs without unplugging every appliance.
Don’t underestimate the benefits offered by identifying and eliminating electricity vampires. By doing this, you can save a significant amount of money on your home’s electrical costs. If you want to make sure you have identified all the “vampires” in your home, work with Tann Electric!