Complete Guide to Vampire Energy

COMPLETE GUIDE TO VAMPIRE ENERGY Whether the electricity bill is unpredictable from month to month or it's consistently higher than you would like, vampire energy may be the culprit. Learn how to identify and manage phantom energy in your home, and you may be surprised to find a reduction in power costs. HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VAMPIRE ENERGY, ENERGY-DRAINING APPLIANCES, AND QUICK FIXES FOR SAVING ELECTRIC POWER AT HOME. WHAT IS VAMPIRE ENERGY? Appliances that leech energy even when they are shut off are modern vampires, wasting power and increasing electricity bills. Although one or two devices or appliances may not make much of a difference on your bill, a whole house full of electronics can add up. Once a device finishes charging, for example, or when a TV is off, power is still flowing. Because it often goes unnoticed, we also call it phantom energy. WHY DO DEVICES LEAK ENERGY? Essentially, every cord that remains plugged into an outlet is pulling energy out. While many devices have sleep or standby modes, they still continuously use electricity to perform updates, connect to remote servers, and record data. The connectivity of modern technology is one reason why our 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. REMOTE READY ELECTRICITY LEAKING 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: Faxes and printers Desktop computers and displays Satellite and cable boxes O Stereos TVs Microwaves Garage door openers Video game consoles 6.22W 5.31W For some devices, the "on" and "off" electricity loads are almost identical. For example, an inkjet fax machine uses an average of 6.22 watts while it's on and 5.31 when it's in standby mode. Unfortunately, that means you may be doubling (or more) your energy bill by leaving remote ready devices in standby mode rather than switching them all the way off. ON O OFF OBVIOUS NON-REMOTE PHANTOM LOAD ELECTRICAL 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 these vampires leech is used to power background functions even when you're not operating them. Non-remote phantom load appliances include: II 10:10 Microwave Digital clocks Cable modems Answering machines NOT SO OBVIOUS PHANTOM LOAD MENACES More discreet phantom power drains include: Household furnace . Air conditioner Gas range Plugged in devices such as cell phones and laptops (once charged) Electric Coffeemaker toothbrushes HOW MUCH DOES VAMPIRE ENERGY COST? According to a report from the National Resource Defense Council, Americans spend about $19 billion per year in vampire energy costs. On average, that means about $165 to $440 per household depending on tier rates and location. Around 23% of American power consumption is in the form of "idle load electricity." Phantom energy usage and costs only continue to grow. Smart devices with extra features may harbor some of the responsibility for the increase, with smart refrigerators that have extra features like internet connectivity drawing additional power. VAMPIRE ENERGY STATS BY APPLIANCE per year Televisions ** $160 Video Game Consoles $75 Desktop computers $40 Laptops $19 Kitchen Appliances $15 + Cable and Satellite TV Boxes $11 DVD and Blu-Ray Players $10 + Modems $5 Printers $5 Device chargers * $4.25 *per charger **without considering DVRS or other cable boxes HOW TO STOP PHANTOM POWER APPLIANCES USE ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED APPLIANCES ENERGY STAR Most appliances carry a label that endorses them as an Energy Star participant. Energy Star labels identify products that meet energy efficiency qualifications that the EPA sets. Not only are these products more energy efficient than their counterparts, but they must also meet quality and performance standards. While you may pay more up-front, the savings in energy costs over the life of the product often make up the difference. PLUG INTO POWER STRIPS Since most households use multiple vampire appliances, it wouldn't make sense to attempt to unplug each one after every use. However, there is a simple solution that can help cut back on energy seepage. Power strips are easily accessible and can shut off power to assorted devices at the same time. ACTIVATE ENERGY SAVER MODES Though you won't always have an energy saving mode, depending on the device, many modern appliances and products come with one. Energy saving modes put electronics to sleep, such as when your computer monitor powers down when you step away for a while. UNPLUG WHEN CHARGED UNPLUG LESSER USED ITEMS Since most consumers today own at least one smartphone or tablet, charging such devices often takes precedence in terms of energy consumption. But modern technology means faster charging times. At the same time, many users leave their devices to charge overnight or for extra hours during the day. 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 its constant power, but if you only use the microwave every few days, unplugging it after each use may pose a benefit. Fortunately, it's easy to reduce or eliminate phantom energy through the methods listed here. Not only will you see a benefit to your electricity bill, but you're also helping cut down on the energy necessary to power society. INFOGRAPHIC BY PAYLESS" POWER