News

Jul 27, 2023

Three appliances in your living room using 'ghost electricity' wasting up to $165 a year

IDLE appliances can tack on hundreds of dollars per year to your energy bills without you even knowing. This is called vampire energy or ghost electricity and it happens when power is being wasted

IDLE appliances can tack on hundreds of dollars per year to your energy bills without you even knowing.

This is called vampire energy or ghost electricity and it happens when power is being wasted simply by being plugged in.

Plus, energy can be wasted even if the appliance is not being used or if it’s turned off.

In fact, nearly 20 percent of all residential energy consumption is caused by ghost electricity, per Solaris Renewables.

As a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that Americans have 65 devices plugged into their homes, the inactive devices or appliances translate to about $165 per US household.

While it may seem daunting to start unplugging all across your house, it’s just a simple switch to start saving money on your energy bills.

Below, The U.S. Sun did a round-up of living room appliances to shut off starting with a household classic, the cable box.

The average digital cable box with DVR can cost Americans nearly $50 a year, per Save on Energy.

This means that if the television is on but the cable box is not recording, that wasted energy is costing you $49.35.

Meanwhile, if the television is off and nothing is recording, you're losing $49.60.

This small device may have a big impact.

As the average American spends nearly 10 hours a day on their devices, keeping them all charged is a huge energy waster.

Plus, these chargers that power things like cell phones, power tools, and MP3 players can cost households extra cash.

If you have multiple devices on the hook or live with others, the costs can stack quickly while the effort it takes to pull some plugs is minimal.

Computers typically have three modes: idle, asleep, or off.

When a computer is idle, it could cost you an extra $82.21 per year, according to data provided by SaveOnEnergy.

If the device is on asleep, users could spend $23.48.

And if the computer is off, households will spend roughly $3 a year.

By completely turning off your computer and monitor, and keeping your printer unplugged, you could save around $25 per year.

Just note that some devices like routers should stay on even when not in use to ensure reliable connection during active hours.

While The U.S. Sun covered vampire energy in living rooms, tons of other appliances cause extra money to be spent.

In fact, experts say that most devices with a standby light or clock produces vampire energy.

Additionally, your refrigerator is another offender when it comes to wasting energy.

For starters, cleaning your condenser coils at least once a year can save a lot of money.

These coils are responsible for distributing heat as refrigerant passes through making sure that the refrigerator and freezer stay at their desired temperatures.

Just keeping it clean may improve your refrigerator’s efficiency by 30 percent.

However, make sure to unplug the unit and carefully brush or vacuum the coils.

Cleaning all your appliances is a sure way to make them last longer and work more efficiently.

This means things like the lint from your clothes dryer, air filters, or dust from under your fridge.

Con Edison hit millions of Americans with an automatic surcharge, however, it can be avoided.

Plus, these outdated appliances can cost you $190 more a year on your energy bills.