Phantom Power – On the House
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Phantom Power

By on April 7, 2018
phantom power

 

Summer is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, you’ are going to look for every possible way to save money on your energy bill because you want to pump the A/C

24/7/ 365. Well, one way to do this is by being aware of what appliances or gadgets are constantly drawing power even when in the “off” position.

According to an article by Beth Brindle on howstuffworks.com phantom power, also known as vampire power, standby power, idle power and much more, is the constant flow of energy to seemingly de-energized appliances that remain plugged in to an outlet. Think of it as a faucet with a very slow leak.

On average, each household is spending about $100 a year on wasted and unused power from “leaking” electricity. If we are speaking in national terms, an article at nytimes.com states that Americans are spending about 19 billion dollars a year on phantom power!.

What appliances draw the most phantom load you ask? Any appliance with remote control capabilities and any appliance that is considered “smart”. These appliances use a constant draw of energy to remain “remote control” ready and to remain connected to the internet.

Bottom line, unplug it! Take the time to write down every appliance that is plugged in to an outlet. When you leave for your summer vacation, unplug everything that will not be needed while you are gone. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you get your next energy bill, that is, if you didn’t leave the A/C running while you were gone.

 

Sources:

Brindle, Beth. “How Much Can You Save by Unplugging Appliances?” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 10 Oct. 2011, money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/budgeting/how-much-save-unplugging-appliances3.htm.

 

Schlossberg, Tatiana. “Just How Much Power Do Your Electronics Use When They Are ‘Off’?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 May 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/science/just-how-much-power-do-your-electronics-use-when-they-are-off.html.

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