As technology continues to advance and new and improved electrical devices are in more homes, electricity bills have subsequently climbed higher and higher. What many people don’t know is that whether on or off, an electricity-powered device like a lamp or a computer, will continue to use power as long as it is still plugged in. This mysterious power that sucks the electricity out of your household and also takes a figurative “bite” out of your wallet is called Vampire Power. This phantom power is the invisible drain experienced when electronic devices are powered off but still consuming energy.
In one year, U.S. households spend about $3 billion on electricity bills largely due to vampire power. Although many electronic devices use a relatively small amount of electricity, the sum of all the devices in your home builds up annually onto your electric bill.
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to reduce the standby energy consumption in your home. In the article, “Top 26 Stealth Home Energy Hogs,” Forbes provides homeowners with key strategies to save household energy. The article suggests that, when not in use, you can simply unplug an electric appliance such as a table lamp or stereo, ultimately diminishing vampire power consumption.
You can also reduce standby energy consumption by organizing the chaos of plugs that are under your computer desk or behind your entertainment console by connecting them to a power strip. By using a power strip, you can plug in numerous devices, consolidating the power source into one spot, making it so that you only have one switch to turn off when the devices are not in use.
Many homeowners are unaware of the wattage amount that a single electronic device can use. By purchasing a wattmeter, you can measure the amount of energy that is regularly used by your home electronics. All home electrical appliances vary in the wattage amount that they use. For example, a small light will consume significantly less vampire power than the amount used by a television. By utilizing a wattmeter, you can hunt down which electronic is sucking the most power and thereby block the presence of vampire power, saving you up to 30% on your electricity bill!
The truth is that life, more than ever before, is powered by electricity and electronic devices, and while homeowners want better overall living quality and the luxury of these products in their home, they are also deeply interested in increasing their home’s energy efficiency.
One perfect mix of electrical energy efficiency and luxury are our radiant heat products, which can be used as a primary heat source. For example, our TempZone™ electric floor heating systems offer optimal energy efficiency; converting 100% of the energy into heat rather than wasted consumption. It can warm a master bathroom for less than 16 cents-a-day or a large family room for less than 65 cents-a-day! With radiant heating, every degree you lower your thermostat, you can save 5% off your heating bill. That’s a 25-30% annual savings!
Ultimately, if you reduce standby power consumption, you will gain the benefits of a more energy efficient home and larger financial savings. All day long, households are being attacked by vampire power and homeowners are “feeling the bite.” We hope we have shed light upon this dark topic and armed you with the knowledge you need to hunt down vampire power and lower your monthly electric bills.