03 April 2009
Vampires in the House
Many common household appliances consume energy even when they are not in use.
Millions of Americans are paying for electricity they don’t really know they’re using. The electronics boom of recent decades has led to the invention of a variety of household appliances and devices that guzzle down energy just when they are plugged in, even though they are not being actively used. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency reports that these devices cost Americans almost $10 billion a year in electricity, and they account for almost 11 percent of all U.S. energy use.
They’ve been called “energy vampires” because of the way they suck down energy for no productive use but only to sustain their own existence. Americans have invited them into their homes, seduced by the convenience, entertainment, and fun these gadgets introduce to their lives.
For example, a television always uses a little power so it can always receive the “on” signal from the remote control. Charging accessories also use power when not plugged into their devices but remain plugged into an outlet.
These are some of the product features that will continually consume electricity when the device is not in active use:
• Remote control
• External power supply
• Digital display, LED status light, or digital clock
• Battery charger
• Soft-touch keypad
You can check your home for energy vampires by using a power meter. Turn everything off as if you were leaving home for the day. Then go look at your electric meter. If it is still spinning, you have vampires in the house.
Here’s how to reduce power consumption from these devices:
• Unplug products that are rarely used. In many American homes, a good example is a television and DVD player in a rarely used guest room.
• Use a power strip with a switch that controls clusters of products. The most likely targets are computer clusters (computer, printer, scanner, speakers, wireless transmitter, etc.).
• Entertainment clusters (television, DVD player, speakers, game consoles, etc.).
• Audio clusters (receiver, amplifier, CD players, etc.).
Adapted from U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency Web sites.
