Our lives sometimes seem like they are ruled by electronics. Take a brief look around your home and you’ll find them in almost every room. There’s the television, computer, kitchen appliances, hair dryers, cellphones, and so on. Some electronics we unplug on a regular basis, but many stay plugged in all the time, particularly all of those chargers, regardless of whether anyone is using them or not. According to Tara Energy, a provider of great electricity rates in Houston, leaving your electronics plugged in seems innocuous, but as it turns out, leaving the electronics plugged in around the clock is actually leeching off your home energy supply. Here’s a closer look at what’s going on with all those electronics and why you should consider unplugging them when they’re not in use.
Phantom Energy
It has many names: phantom energy, vampire power, standby power, etc. Regardless of what it’s called, this so-called phantom energy is defined as the electricity being drawn from outlets by electronics that remain plugged in when off or not in use. Yes, even when turned off, many different types of electronic equipment including computers, stereos, printers, microwaves, and many more, continue to draw energy when they’re plugged in. Most people disregard the fact, brushing it off as a negligible amount, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as several other environmental agencies found that the amount actually accounts for closer to 10-15 percent of the monthly energy bills for most households.
As electronic equipment has become more and more prevalent, the amount of phantom energy leaking electricity has increased despite all our best efforts to be greener and conserve. The biggest culprits are devices that use remote controls, (TV and DVD players), those that use an external power supply (printers, routers, cable modem), those that have a charger (cellphones, laptops, handheld gaming devices), or those that have continuous displays (microwave, oven, alarm clock). A breakdown of exactly how much appliances are leeching reveal that laptops and cable boxes are right at the top of the list, stealing some 9 watts and 44 watts, respectively, even in “off” mode.
Reducing Home Phantom Energy Usage
It may not be realistic for all of us to be constantly unplugging all of our household appliances and electronic equipment, but there are some useful tips to reduce phantom energy usage at least part of the time.
Use Smart Power Strips
Unplugging your entire home entertainment set every time it’s out of use would be a drag, so why not plug all the equipment into one or two smart power strips. When you aren’t using the system, simply switch the power strip off to prevent your TV, DVD, Blu-ray, and stereo from continuing to draw energy.
Leave Kitchen Appliances Unplugged
The kitchen is full of appliances, but there’s no way you’d ever be using them all at once. In fact, you probably use only one or two of the appliances every day or week, and only for a few minutes. Just the microwave, toaster, and blender use around 15.75 watts altogether when plugged in all the time, and while that only adds up to around $24 in a year, it’s still money you could pocket for simply taking the 5 seconds to unplug the device. You may even consider taking the appliances off the counter. It will save you money and de-clutter the space.
Unplug at Night or Before Vacation
Even if it’s a hassle to unplug all of the appliances every day, you could save a little bit on the energy bills by making a check around the house before going to sleep or leaving for vacation. Faulty appliances will also consume more energy than normal. If it’s your first time getting your appliances repaired, for instance, you need a dryer repair service, this article at business-money.com explains what you need to look for when choosing an appliance service provider, especially if you need sub zero freezer repair or refrigerator repair services. Small, accumulated changes really can make a big difference.
This article was contributed on behalf of Tara Energy. Interested in getting power in Houston at a better rate? Check out their website today!
