Energy vampires, also known as phantom loads, are the cell phone charges that are left plugged in, the televisions that are programmed with a DVR and are just waiting to be turned on; and the computers that you think are “sleeping”. An energy vampire is the electricity use that you can’t account for because you don’t even realize you are using it.
On average, just under 10 percent of a consumer’s monthly electric use can be attributed to vampire loads. According to www.energystar.gov, nationally, vampire loads account for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of annual U.S. electricity consumption and more than $10 billion in annual energy costs.
To slay the energy vampires, members are advised to simply unplug the device. However, unplugging does interfere with convenience. Instead, consider using a power strip or something call a “smart strip”. Smart strips look similar to traditional power strips but have color coded sections. The color coded sections provide various power options depending on what your electricity needs are.
