Spooky season is almost over, but some monsters linger year-round — inside your home.
Electronics, including TVs, gaming consoles, microwaves — and many you may not expect — are silently sucking energy even when they’re turned off, costing you money every month.
These “vampire” appliances can cost the typical household $165 to $440 annually, depending on electricity rates and where you live, even while they are off or in standby mode.
Ways to eliminate vampire appliances:
- Plug into power strips: Power strips let you power multiple devices on and off so they’re not consuming energy when they’re not in use or you’re not around.
- Unplug infrequently used items: If you have an extra TV or desktop computer you don’t use often, simply unplug them.
- Unplug fully charged devices: Cellphones, laptops, tablets and e-readers fit this category.
- Use ENERGY STAR-rated appliances: These appliances have lower standby consumption and use less energy.
Some common vampire appliances are:
- Video game consoles
- Cable and satellite TV boxes
- Kitchen appliances (like coffee makers)
- Laptops
- Desktop computers
- DVD and DVR players
- Devices that turn on automatically
- Chargers (for your cellphone or camera)
- Printers
- Lights
- Electronics with a status light or clock
