Unplug vampire electronics

Photo by Daniele Colucci on Unsplash

Description

Are you paying for energy that you are not using? Up to 20% of your electricity expenses go towards so-called Vampire Electronics. These are devices that consume electricity in standby mode, even when they are off. Some consume nearly as much energy as when they are turned on. The worst culprits are computers, televisions, modems, routers, surround sound systems and cable or satellite boxes.

Tips

Identify the likely vampires in your home. Look for devices that have remotes (devices waiting to be turned on), charge batteries, have a continuous LED display or have an external power supply.

Once you have identified the energy drains, here are five tips to reduce their impact:

1. Start replacing power strips with advanced power strips. They stop electronics from drawing power when they are off or not being used.

2. Unplug rarely used devices.

3. When a device is fully charged, unplug it. Leaving a phone or laptop plugged in after it is fully charged can reduce the life of the battery as well.

4. Adjust your computers and monitors to automatically power down to the lowest power mode when not in use.

5. Buy energy-efficient electronics and appliances. Include this in your buying criteria to lower the size of the idle drain.

Will you always have some vampires sucking energy for the sake of convenience? Sure, that is likely. Do the best you can and save yourself some money while you are at it.