Why You Should Worry About Vampire…Energy Loss | Teems Electric

There is a dark and sinister force out there waiting to suck your…electricity. If your childhood fears have kicked in, don’t worry. Vampires aren’t actually real, but vampire energy is and it could be adding a good bit (or shall we say bite?) to your electrical bill.

Vampire energy, or standby power, is electricity drawn by devices when they are not in use. In today’s world where just about everything needs to plug in to charge, these appliances and other tools can really be adding to your total electric load.

While it isn’t practical to go around unplugging everything in our homes or offices, here are some tips you can implement daily to conquer power drainers. No garlic needed.

Identify Items Drawing Standby Power

If an item is plugged in, it is using electricity, turned on or not. However, not all items will draw enough electricity to add up. Identifying the items that pull the most power while in standby mode is essential in saving on your bill month to month.

In the average household, vampire power accounts for 10% of total energy use. Inventorying your home for items that have external power sources, remote controls, LED displays or charge a battery will give you an idea of how many vampire power sources you have.

Do I Really Need to Unplug It?

If you have ever reached behind an appliance only to feel a tangle of cords, you may be thinking, “there is no way I can unplug and replug this each day.” Fortunately, there are a few other solutions to stop the energy drain.

Surge protectors or power strips can make turning multiple items off at once simple. More advanced surge protectors even have settings that allow you to control the amount of power items consume.

Installing timers on your appliances that turn them on and off on your schedule can be another way to make your home more energy-efficient.

Items you should unplug as much as you are able are those that charge batteries. With our busy lives, we probably all have a cell phone charger in at least three different places and leaving them unplugged when not in use can make a big difference on your home or office’s total energy consumption.

Ready to rid your home from vampires? Call us today, and let us help you make your home or office more energy-efficient.