If your electricity bill is unpredictable from month to month or it’s consistently higher than you would like, vampire power may be the culprit.

What is Vampire Energy?

Vampire power also called phantom power or standby mode, in which appliances consume energy even when they are shut off, can account for up to 20% of your monthly electricity bill. While sitting unused and idle, your TV or toaster oven is sucking money right out of your pocketbook.

Why Do Devices Leak Energy?

Essentially, every cord that remains plugged into an outlet is still using an electric current. While many devices have sleep or standby modes, they continuously use energy to perform updates, connect to remote servers, and record data.
The connectivity of modern technology is one reason why devices leak energy. Even when the TV is off, for example, it’s still ready to receive a signal from the remote to power on at any time. Your DVR is always “lying in wait” until it’s time to record the next show or running behind-the-scenes updates.

Regularly available power means your devices can respond quickly when you decide to use them. However, this handy feature comes at a cost regarding your monthly and yearly electricity costs. Most households have many devices that use vampire power in standby mode.

Remote ready appliances-

Remote ready appliances are those which remain in a standby state ready to receive orders to switch on. Often, these devices require a one-button operation to wake them. Common remote-ready appliances that “leak” electricity include:

1. Desktop computers and displays
2. Printers
3. Satellite and cable boxes
4. Stereos
5. TVs
6. Microwaves
7. Garage door openers
8. Video game consoles

For some devices, the “on” and “off” electricity loads are almost identical. For example, a TV on standby is 48.5 watts, while an in-use LCD computer monitor uses 55 watts when in use. Unfortunately, that means you may be doubling (or more) your monthly bill by leaving remote ready devices in standby mode rather than switching them all the way off.

Non-Remote Appliances-

Non-remote appliances that waste energy due to being on all the time don’t have standby or sleep modes. Rather, the electricity that is used to power background functions even when you’re not operating them.
Non-remote vampire power appliances include:

1. Microwaves
2. Digital clocks
3. Cable modems

Though you may decide to unplug your microwave between uses, many other non-remote appliances are ones that need to remain on. Digital clocks, for example, need a constant power source to maintain accurate time. Cable modems and internet servers have the same requirement of needing connection 24/7.

Vampire Energy menace-

Finally, many other menaces exist in your home when it comes to energy use. Most devices that use the highest amount of power while sitting on the counter, shelf, or table are ones you would least expect.

More discreet vampire power drains include:

1. Heater
2. Air conditioner unit
3. Gas range
4. Coffee Makers 
5. Plugged-in devices such as cell phones and laptops (once charged)

How to Stop Vampire Power Drain?

Does unplugging electronics save electricity?  Yes! 

But in today’s interconnected world, it’s not often feasible to unplug every appliance when you’re finished with it, including internet modems, refrigerators, digital clocks, and more.

For larger appliances, we must turn to other electricity-saving methods to cut back. But the benefits are clear; studies have found that phantom electricity accounts for anywhere from 5 to 10% of household electricity. Here are five ways to stop phantom power appliances.

1- Use Energy Star Certified Appliances

Shop smart refrigerator, washing machine, Air conditioner,etc.

Most appliances carry a label that endorses them as an Energy Star participant. Often, the labeling also includes expected power costs.

Energy Star labels identify products that meet electric efficiency qualifications set by the EPA. Not only are these products more efficient than their counterparts, but they must also meet quality and performance standards. While you may pay more up front, the savings in electricity costs over the life of the product recoup your costs in a few short years and pay off in lifetime electricity savings.

2- Plug into Power Strips

Rather than manually unplug each device or flip a light switch, you can press one button to cut off power to a bank of appliances. If you own a desktop computer, you may already use a surge protector power strip to protect your device’s components. Using power strips elsewhere in your home can help consolidate cords and make saving electricity even simpler. Take it a step further by investing in advanced (smart) power strips that can detect when devices aren’t in use or are programmable to automatically shut off. 

3- Unplug When Charged

Since most households today have multiple smartphones, laptops, or tablets, charging these devices often takes precedence over conscientious power consumption. At the same time, many users leave their devices to charge overnight or for extra hours during the day. But modern technology means faster charging times and once a device is powered up, it often maintains its charge when in standby mode even when unplugged.

4- Unplug Lesser Used Items

While you won’t want to unplug every appliance in your home each day, identifying the ones you use less frequently can help zero in on phantom energy draws. For example, the refrigerator needs constant power for food safety and your health, but if you only use the microwave every few days, unplugging it after each use may benefit your bank account.

5-Practical Steps for Saving Each Month

Take a power inventory in each room to see what sneaky phantom power devices are at work. A few smart changes from the guide above can help you reduce your energy waste and vampire power consumption.

Dipashri Patil